Since 1775, the Old Presbyterian Meeting House has been an integral part of the city of Alexandria, providing spiritual care and outreach to residents of Alexandria and the surrounding area.

The Meeting House has two cemeteries. The churchyard is the oldest, and it contains several historical graves, including that of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolutionary War.

In 1809, after the Alexandria city council banned burials within the city limits, the "new" Presbyterian Cemetery was founded on Hamilton Lane, near the southern edge of the City of Alexandria. This cemetery is in use today.

In its nearly two centuries, a cross-section of Alexandrians has come to be buried here -– including merchants, ship captains, clergy, veterans of the American Revolution and of the Civil War from both North and South, a half-dozen of Alexandria’s mayors, numerous members of the city’s governing council, and at least one member of the U. S. House of Representatives.

The Presbyterian Cemetery is a beautiful locale, providing church members and the wider community with a serene final resting place. Although close to the main thoroughfares of Route 1 and I-495, it is sufficiently removed from the activity of the city to maintain its peacefulness.

Although the cemetery houses thousands of plots, the increasing demand for cremations prompted the construction of a columbarium of granite and limestone, which was completed in 2008.

The Presbyterian Cemetery is overseen by a board comprised of Meeting House members. Robert Sennewald serves as president of the board. Robert Ellis is the Cemetery Superintendent. The Board manages the cemetery carefully, ensuring the preservation of this treasured property and developing it in keeping with its surroundings.

To learn more about the Presbyterian Cemetery or the columbarium, please contact Robert Ellis, Cemetery Superintendent by email or (703) 626-0879.  Additional information about the site, including purchasing a burial plot or columbarium niche is available on request.

Directions to the Presbyterian Cemetery

From the Old Presbyterian Meeting House at 321 South Fairfax Street, proceed north a half block to the intersection with Duke Street. Turn left (west) on Duke Street, and continue on to Henry Street (U.S. 1 South). Turn left (south) on U.S. 1, and proceed to the corner of Wilkes Street. Turn right (west) on Wilkes Street and continue to the intersection with Hamilton Lane, the last intersection before Wilkes Street dead ends at the Alexandria National Cemetery. A white sign at the intersection points in the direction of the Presbyterian Cemetery. Turn left (south) on Hamilton Lane, continue a short distance to the main entrance (the southernmost of two gates through the wrought-iron fence surrounding the Presbyterian Cemetery), and turn right into the cemetery grounds. The columbarium is located at the westernmost limit of the cemetery.