Preservation and Restoration
Oakland’s Preservation & Restoration team works year-round to restore and preserve Atlanta’s most complex historic artifact.
Our 48 acres hold thousands of gravestones, burial plots, mausoleums, funerary art and architecture, hardscape, and supporting infrastructure–the collective historic record of over 70,000 of Atlanta’s former residents. For many Oakland residents, these gravestones reflect the only record of their lives, familial relationships, and lasting impact on Atlanta’s cultural history.
Historic Oakland Foundation is committed to preserving and restoring these markers so that future generations can learn from our history. We have successfully restored 20 acres in the last 50 years (1976-2026), including the Historic African American Burial Grounds, Jewish Hill and Jewish Flats, and sections of Bell Tower Ridge, East Hill, and the Original Six Acres.
These projects require significant time, in addition to specialized expertise, craftsmanship, and materials. You can help preserve and restore Oakland by making a donation, becoming a member, or volunteering your time.
“It has been said that, at its best, preservation engages the past in a conversation with the present over a mutual concern for the future.”
—William J. Murtagh, the first Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places
Currently in Progress
Original Six Acres Restoration
As of Summer 2025, Oakland’s Preservation and Restoration Team is beginning the extensive process of restoring the Original Six Acres. The Original Six Acres of Oakland Cemetery holds some of Atlanta’s oldest and most significant stories—from the city’s earliest burials to the resting place of transformational figures like Mayor Maynard Jackson. This historic core is home to fragile funerary art, aging brick walkways, and century-old trees—all urgently in need of preservation.
With your support, we can restore and protect this meaningful space for generations to come.
Examples of Preservation & Restoration Work
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![Comparison of two graveyards with old, weathered tombstones. The left side shows tilted and fallen tombstones amidst fallen leaves and grass. The right side displays upright tombstones with some grass and dirt, and a background of trees and parking lot.]()
Resetting headstones
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![Comparison of a cemetery's gravestone area before and after landscaping. On the left, an unlandscaped, rocky grave site with dirt and stones. On the right, the same grave site with newly added plants, shrubs, and a stone border, and the area is well-maintained with greenery and flowers.]()
Reconstructing stone walls
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![A memorial statue of a wife and daughter sitting side by side on a bench, with a large Celtic cross behind them, surrounded by greenery and flowers.]()
Cleaning monuments
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![Comparison of a damaged brick wall on the left and a repaired brick wall on the right.]()
Repairing brick walls & pathways
Preservation News
