Near Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Sycolin Community Cemetery
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
This section of Sycolin Road was an African American Community developed in the last quarter of the 19th Century. It was created out of a larger tract of land know as "Egypt Farm" and was comprised of descendants of former slaves who worked the land and formed a community. In 1884 the first recorded African American baptisms took place at Sycolin Union Church by Rev. William Scott. They were Charles Norris, Thomas Smith, and Sally Daye. The trustees of the Union Church were also the owners of the land in 1884. William Manning built most of the pre-1902 houses in the area along with the Union Church. It is now known as the First Baptist Church of Sycolin. All of the homes are now gone, but the church remains. The community thrived for approximately 50 years. The inhabitants were strengthened by family and a neighborhood that had survived the experience of living through slavery and into segregation. It stood together from soon after the Civil War and beyond the Great Depression. Many lived, worked, and died in this community and are buried here.
The Sycolin Cemetery, consisting of two burial areas along this 900 foot loop trail, is the final resting place for many of those former residents who made their mark on this land and community. We may never know all the people who lie here, but we have identified about 65 graves. The names below are of those that are known to be buried here based on research completed by the Thomas Balch Library.
Emanual Day 1866-1948 Ida Day 1902-1929 Dorothy Dean 1905-1925 Osburn "Fishy" Gant 1849-1927 Paul F. Johnson 1903-1947 Mary Murray 1893-1922 Robert White 1867-1954 Charles Norris 1871-1930 Mary B. Norris 1870-1923 Charles Sidwell 1880-1946 Fenton Tolbert 1856-1930 Landon Webb 1839-1913 Frances White 1866-1954
Erected 2017 by Town of Leesburg, Virginia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location. 39° 4.049′ N, 77° 33.078′ W. Marker is near Leesburg, Virginia, in Loudoun County. Marker can be reached from Sycolin Road (Virginia Route 643) south of Claudia Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is on the entrance to the cemetery, which is about .1 miles north of the First Baptist Church Sycoline. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 19874 Sycolin Road, Leesburg VA 20175, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Diesel Trains on the W&OD (approx. 1.8 miles away); Rokeby (approx. 2.2 miles away); Belmont Ridge
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
Also see . . . After harsh words, Leesburg plans to donate African-American cemetery. The Town of Leesburg acquired the land including the cemetery when building the Leesburg Airport. However, the Town has announced transferring the cemetery grounds to Loudoun Freedom Center. (Submitted on February 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 18, 2019
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 576 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.