Please use the dropdown menu to explore the historic background of burials in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Join a Cemetery Tour
Step into history with our expert-led walking tours of Alexandria’s most storied cemeteries.
David Heiby
Public Historian & Tour Leader
Reflections from a Recent Tour
“Attended an excellent tour this morning with my DAR chapter of the Wilkes Street Cemetery led by historians David Heiby and Madeline Feierstein of @gravestonestoriesva. They were a wealth of knowledge about early U.S. and Virginia history. Fascinating!”
— Amy D., Daughter of the American Revolution Member
Invite Gravestone Stories to Speak
We offer engaging historical talks tailored to museums, genealogical societies, preservation groups, and other organizations interested in Alexandria’s rich past.
Featured in the News
Our June 2024 tour was featured on the front page of the Alexandria Times in honor of the Alexandria Archaeology Commission’s 50th anniversary.
Featured Blog Story
From Bull Run to Appomattox: The Civil War Journey of Wilmer McLean
“The war began in my front yard and ended in my parlor.”
Wilmer McLean’s now-famous quote captures his remarkable role in the American Civil War. The first major battle erupted on his farm near Bull Run, and four years later, his parlor in Appomattox hosted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant—marking the war’s end on April 9, 1865. McLean’s final chapter unfolded in Alexandria, where he is buried in St. Paul’s Cemetery within the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex.
Featured Gravestone
Joseph McCoy
Lynching Victim — No Known Grave
Joseph McCoy: Lynching Victim — No Known Grave
On April 23, 1897, 18-year-old Joseph McCoy was lynched by a white mob in Alexandria after being forcibly removed from police custody. Beaten, shot, and hanged at Cameron and Lee Streets, McCoy was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in Penny Hill Cemetery. His story endures as a solemn reminder of racial terror and injustice. Say his name.
No gravestone. Buried in Penny Hill Cemetery, Alexandria, VA. →
Notable Burials Highlight
Explore Alexandria’s Notable Burials
Curious who’s buried in Alexandria? Here are just a few:
- Major Samuel Cooper – Boston Tea Party participant and Revolutionary War officer
- Wilmer McLean – His homes witnessed both the first and last battles of the Civil War
- Fields Cook – African American leader in education and civil rights
- Julius Campbell – Star player of the 1971 T.C. Williams Titans, portrayed in Remember the Titans, and a powerful symbol of Alexandria’s struggle and progress in civil rights
- Joseph Bruin – Slave trader involved in the 1848 Pearl escape attempt
Recent Discoveries & Rediscovered Graves
- Col. George Gilpin Rediscovered (2024)
Revolutionary War officer and Washington’s pallbearer found after more than 200 years.
👉 Read the Full Story → - Winter Archaeology at Wilkes Street
Ground-penetrating radar revealed long-lost burials—including firefighter Charles Glasscock and the Adam, Irwin, Dundas, and Black family plots.
👉 Explore the Discoveries →
Discover Alexandria’s Civil War Legacy
Alexandria was the first Southern city seized by Union forces—just one day after Virginians voted to secede. Its cemeteries, hospitals, and historic homes became central to the Civil War’s human story.
Explore the lives of soldiers, civilians, contrabands, and spies who shaped Alexandria’s wartime legacy.
Explore at Your Own Pace
Want to explore on your own schedule?
Download our printable brochure and enjoy a self-guided walk through Alexandria’s most historic cemeteries—featuring 35,000+ stories in one extraordinary complex.
Gravestone Stories in the Community
Coming Up
May 6 – D.A.R. Chapter Talk (Private)
A private presentation on the Lee-Fendall House for a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. More public events coming soon!
Recent Appearances
April 15 – Mount Vernon Genealogical Society
A full house joined us at the Hollin Hall Senior Center for a deep dive into Alexandria’s Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex—home to more than 35,000 stories of American history.
April 5 – Honoring Civil War Sacrifice
We marked the 160th anniversary of Grosvenor Branch Hospital’s closure at the Lee-Fendall House, reading the names of 10 Union soldiers buried in Alexandria.
Community Partners
Alexandria’s rich history is preserved and interpreted by dedicated organizations that engage the community through research, education, and historic site preservation.
The Alexandria Historical Society works to document and promote the city’s past.
The Lee-Fendall House Museum, owned and operated by the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation, offers insight into Alexandria’s evolving history through one of its most significant historic homes.
