Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour

Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour

Sunday, June 8, 2025 – 10:30am to 12pm

3001 R Street NW Washington, DC 20007

Since its founding in 1849, Oak Hill has been the final resting place of the well-known and the well-heeled.  This Georgetown cemetery was established on land contributed by W. W. Corcoran, founder of the Riggs National Bank and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.  The grounds were laid out by Captain George F. de la Roche in the style of a garden park cemetery, and James Renwick, Jr. designed the cemetery’s stone gates and historic chapel.

After a brief history of the cemetery, the speakers will highlight some of the elements found in the architecture and sculpture of Oak Hill, including the Van Ness Mausoleum, which was designed as a replica of the Temple of Vesta in Rome.  Featured monuments will also shed light on connections between Oak Hill and the adaptation of classical art and architecture in the federal buildings of Washington, D.C.  There will also be a presentation of the various aspects comprising the landscaping and horticultural elements of the cemetery.  Laura Thoms from Oak Hill Cemetery, Robert Bell from Bell Design, Inc., and John Mahshie of the ICAA will be conducting the tour.