Church Hill Cemetery

Locality: Salem                                      Temporal Period:                  4^th quarter 19^th c., 20^th c.

Realty Map:          203-7-1                                   Cultural Affiliation:              Undetermined

USGS Map:           Salem                                      Landform:                              Ridge top and slope

Grid Locus:            F-11                                        Elevation:                              1180 feet

UTM Easting:       582500                                    Aspect:                                  Northeast

UTM Northing:    4126030

Site Dimensions:  Two acres

Survey Description:  Site consists of a large, active cemetery with hundreds of interments.  Most of the observed graves are marked with inscribed headstones, lawn-type markers and raised top markers.  Cemetery is well maintained and covered with mowed grass.  Historic plantings include cedar and dogwood trees and boxwoods.  Site was field inspected and surface features were noted.  Site size was derived from local realty maps.

Survey Date:         11/98

Field Notes:           _x_Yes   ___No

Photographs:        ___Yes  _x_No

References:          

Roanoke Valley Historical Society

                1986        Roanoke County Graveyards Through 1920.  Privately printed, RVHS, Roanoke.

Additional Comments:        Assigned temporal period was based on the 1896 through 1998 range of death dates inscribed on observed headstones.  A sign at the cemetery indicates the cemetery was established in 1891.  Roanoke County Courthouse records include an 1899 plan map of the cemetery entitled “Plan of Church Hill Cemetery (south of Roanoke River) Salem, Va.”  The map illustrates a church building in the northeast corner of the cemetery.  This structure is no longer present on the site.  Southwest border of cemetery abuts Palmer Avenue while the northwest and north boundaries abut Darnell Road.  The cemetery is marked on the USGS Salem map sheet and labeled “Church Hill cem.”  It is also located on local realty maps and labeled “Church Hill Cemetery.”  This cemetery was surveyed by the RVHS and biographical information was documented from inscriptions on 76 headstones that predated 1921 (1986: 46-50).