Oconee Hill Cemetery

Oconee Hill Cemetery. . , Oconee Hill Cemetery was purchased in 1855 by the City of Athens when further burials were prohibited in the old town cemetery on land owned by The University of Georgia. In 1856, the City formed a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees to hold and manage in trust the original purchase of 17 acres on the west side of the North Oconee River as a public cemetery for the benefit of the town. In 1860 original Trustees A.P. Dearing, H. Hull, Jr., T.R.R. Cobb, F. W. Lucas, and P.E. Moore were granted a charter by act of the Georgia General Assembly. The cemetery is still governed by successor Trustees. In early years, graves from the old town cemetery and many county family cemeteries were moved to Oconee Hill. When more land was needed by 1898, the Trustees bought 81.8 acres on the east side of the river. Adjoining the old part of Oconee Hill is the cemetery of the Congregation Children of Israel and a section dedicated by the Athens Manufacturing Company known as the Factory Burying Ground. Tombstones of soldiers of all America’s wars are found in Oconee Hill and on monuments are found the names of many citizens of Athens illustrious in the history of this city, state, and nation.