Seven thousand souls rest here at Holy Rood Cemetery. This isn’t just any cemetery. It’s a historical treasure nestled on a hill overlooking Georgetown.
Holy Rood began in 1832. It was then called Trinity Church Upper Graveyard. The name changed to Holy Rood Cemetery sometime between 1850 and 1870. Rood is an old English word for cross. It served as a burial ground for the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The cemetery held approximately 7000 burials. That includes about 1000 free and enslaved African Americans. It may be the best documented slave burial ground in Washington DC.
Imagine the lives lived before their final rest. European immigrants who built the C&O Canal are here. Civil War veterans rest alongside them. Even a Revolutionary War veteran Joseph Nevitt is buried at the western edge. The stories of these individuals are woven into the very soil of Holy Rood. They were hoteliers laborers maids. Some died in childbirth others succumbed to the 1918 influenza epidemic.
The cemetery saw its peak activity from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. The last lot was sold in 1915. A few more burials occurred surprisingly as late as the 1990s. Georgetown University owns Holy Rood Cemetery. The university once considered removing the bodies to develop the land. A legal action by people with burial rights thankfully stopped that plan.
Years of neglect left the cemetery in disrepair. Headstones lay broken. Weeds and shrubs choked the grounds. Georgetown University and Holy Trinity Catholic Church joined forces. They announced a restoration project in 2018. They planned to restore the cemetery and build a columbarium. The revitalization includes a new entrance ornamental gate fence and extensive landscaping. Hundreds of trees and shrubs were planted. The roadway was repaved. Fallen headstones were carefully reset.
A new columbarium was completed in 2019. It holds 645 niches. Priority goes to Holy Trinity parishioners people with ancestors buried here and Georgetown University alumni faculty and staff. But anyone can purchase a niche. It doesn’t matter if you are Catholic.
The restoration of Holy Rood Cemetery isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about remembering those who came before us. It’s a testament to the enduring power of history and community. It’s a place where lives both past and present intertwine. It’s a place of peace and reflection a sanctuary among the bustling city. It’s Holy Rood Cemetery a vital part of Washington DC’s rich history.