Brentwood in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Former Site, Columbian Harmony Cemetery
1857-1959
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0)
Many distinguished Black citizens including Civil War veterans were buried in this cemetery.
These bodies now rest in the new National Harmony Memorial Park Cemetery in Maryland.
Erected by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, US Civil.
Location. 38° 55.229′ N, 76° 59.756′ W. Marker is in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Brentwood. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Washington Place Northeast and Rhode Island Avenue Northeast (U.S. 1), on the right when traveling south. Marker is at the main entrance to the Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metro train station, off the parking area, one block southwest of the Rhode Island Avenue (US Rte. 1)/Reed Street, NE, intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 919 Rhode Island Avenue Northeast, Washington DC 20018, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Former Site Columbian Harmony Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Crosby S. Noyes Elementary School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Stone Straw Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Iglesia La Luz del Mundo (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Glenwood Cemetery Chapel (approx. half a mile away); Prospect Hill Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Christ, the Light of the World (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Meadow (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northeast Washington.
Also see . . .
1. National Harmony Cemetery, Landover, MD. History of the original cemetery (displaced by construction of the Metro Station) and location of graves reinterred at National Harmony. (Submitted on December 25, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
2. Columbian Harmony Cemetery. Wikipedia. (Submitted on June 27, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
Additional commentary.
1. Columbian Harmony/National Harmony...
The original cemetery spanned a large area bounded by Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood Road and the B&O Railroad right of way. Its relocation in 1959-60 to Landover, MD (after years of neglect and deterioration, including use of the D.C. site as a Department of Transportation impound lot) was accompanied by accusations of governmental racism and mismanagement, overlooked graves and misidentified re-interments. Among notable veterans re-interred at National Harmony are Medal of Honor recipients Christian A. Fleetwood and Thomas R. Hawkins, Osborne P. Anderson (a surviving member of John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry in 1859), and Henry Vinton Plummer (a Civil War sailor and later the first Black chaplain in the Regular U.S. Army).
— Submitted January 31, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Additional keywords. Harmonia Burial Ground; U.S. Colored Troops; USCT; U.S. Navy; Christian Fleetwood; Thomas Hawkins; Osborne Anderson; Henry Vinton Plummer; Landover, MD.; Medal of Honor;
Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 7,016 times since then and 25 times this year. Last updated on February 12, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on August 21, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on December 25, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 3. submitted on June 27, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on January 31, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 5. submitted on June 27, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on January 31, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.