Old Settlers’ Cemetery

When I worked in Uptown, I used to go here during my lunch time. I’d wander down the street, and find a nice bench in the sun and ponder life. Interesting I know, pondering life in a cemetery… I’m a weirdo. But as far as cemeteries go, this one is very park like with a couple walking paths through it, so maybe I’m not such a weirdo after all. It’s right in the middle of the city which I found odd and interesting. You are surrounded by towering sky scrapers, while gazing upon headstones that are barely legible any longer. Maybe I’m on to something with that whole life pondering thing. I remember thinking how small I was in comparison to everything around me, and how peaceful those lunches were.
I’d often times take a book to read and friendly passer byers would nod at me, while their dogs would sniff my shoe. I’d squint up at them and smile, or give their dog a little pat on the head before they were gone.
The trees over head would provide a great shade on those days of extreme heat, and it created a beautiful canopy for photos in this magical place. I miss this place and if you are close enough to take advantage of it’s beauty, I hope you do.
Many days I left with a calm that I can’t explain. It’s unique, and beautiful.

In the spirit of the season, I thought I’d throw out a spooky review — the Old Settlers’ Cemetery! One of the most useful things to know about the place — and something that I just picked up on the History and Haunts tour — is the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard.
If like myself, you didn’t know, while they are often just a plot of land (often well landscaped), filled with dead bodies, a cemetery is usually a piece of land set aside solely for that purpose, while a graveyard is adjoined to a house of worship — a church of some kind. It’s as simple as that. In either case, there may or may not be ghosts around. That’s for you to decide.
In this case, the cemetery in question is more like a park than a burial ground, mostly because the bodies buried there are pretty old. In fact, they are so old that many of the markers are no longer marking much of anything. Some are even gone. You will often find passers-​by walking their dogs along paths and through the grass, which is a bit odd. There are even doggie mits along the paths, which I find very odd. Nice that they are supplied and all, but really bizarre, you know?
There are some stories, such as bodies that were buried in an area after being found in a portion of CMC Mercy, and then reburied properly after more bodies turned up during remodeling (they were later moved, but are still on the main marker). Definitely an interesting place!

What a great little park. This cemetery is right in the middle of the city, and while it isn’t big enough to stroll around for long, cutting through here is much nicer than walking the surrounding blocks. I expect people eat lunches here in the middle of the day — it’s that kind of place with nice big leafy trees.
And check out the old graves; some date back to the Revolutionary War.

Though it’s MUCH smaller than nearby Elmwood Cemetery (my preferred place to go for walks, to walk my dog, or to read the paper on a sunny day – no, I’m not goth), Settler’s Cemetery is a great place to hang out, and it’s literally a street over from the center of downtown.
From a historical perspective, Settler’s is worth checking out if only because it houses some of the oldest graves in town – super old (hence the name). These are definitely worth checking out.
On top of that, the cemetery is beautiful – lots of grass, and lots of benches to relax on. It’s a good place to take your dog, too: there are normally tons of other dogs and walkers hanging out here.
A little open air and space is a nice change in downtown, trust me. Make use of it.

Located right in the historic Fourth Ward, my new home, this cemetary is a cool place to visit. It is significant in terms of history for Charlotte, considering the following: 1) it was the first municipal burial ground in Charlotte, North Carolina, 2) the Old Settlers’ Cemetery contains the earthly remains of many of the most prominent citizens of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in the late 18^th and 19^th century, and 3) the Old Settlers’ Cemetery is the centerpiece of the Fourth Ward Historic District.
It’s a beautiful and peacful place to walk through, with brick-​laid walkways and gorgeous trees sprouting within it. A great place to get a taste of history, or simply have some quiet time.