East End near Richmond in Henrico County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Burying Ground – For Colored Paupers
The Garden of Lilies
In 1896 William Forrester stepped down as president of this cemetery, and Thomas Crumpler was elected president. Six acres of the cemetery that included grave sites were sold to Mr. Bauer of Henrico County to cover the debt on the cemetery. Finding the land uninhabitable for any other purposes, the property was re-sold to the City of Richmond and re-named the Colored Paupers’ Cemetery.
Between 1895 and 1896, many infants and children between the ages of 3 and 12 throughout the area died as a result of poor nutrition and childhood diseases. According to early reports of the cemetery superintendent more than 500 infants and children, many of whom resided in the city streets, orphanages, asylums, and hospitals were laid to rest here.
By the 1970s the cemetery was all but forgotten and was consumed by trees and vegetation. In 2007, historian Veronica A. Davis, the Richmond Sheriff’s Department and Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities joined efforts to restore this area of the cemetery to its original appeal. Today it is known as the Garden of Lilies, named for the delicate yet fragile children that are laid to rest here.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1895.
Location. 37° 32.198′ N, 77° 23.383′ W. Marker is near Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County. It is in East End. Marker is on Stony Run Parkway, 0.4 miles north of East Richmond Road, on the right when traveling north. There is a small pull off on the shoulder of the road just north of the creek crossing. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1704-1746 Stony Run Pkwy, Richmond VA 23223, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Oakwood Cemetery (approx. 0.4 miles away); Oakwood Cemetery Confederate Section (approx. 0.4 miles away); Evergreen Cemetery (approx. 0.4 miles away); Nine Mile Road (approx. half a mile away); The Dabb House (approx. 0.6 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Dabbs House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Samuel L. Gravely Jr. (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2012, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 958 times since then and 64 times this year. Last updated on August 24, 2014, by Eric Huffstutler of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 27, 2012, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.