Mount Hope Cemetery
Located adjacent to the University of North Georgia campus, Mount Hope is the oldest public cemetery in the city limits of Dahlonega. The first known burial took place in 1833, which was the same year that the town of Dahlonega was founded.
An article from the Dahlonega Nugget dated Sept 24th, 1937 makes a short reference to how burials took place in the old days. “When this town was first started, of course, there were few people here, and the present cemetery was just an old pine thicket, and when anyone died, a homemade coffin was made and the corpse was put in it, and hauled out to the pine thicket and buried.”
Although Mt. Hope is a historic cemetery, burials still take place today in the newer sections within the cemetery.
The number of veteran grave markers located throughout Mt. Hope reflects the patriotic spirit of Dahlonega's past citizens. From the American Revolution through the present day, veterans from all wars can be found in Mt. Hope.
As a municipal or city-maintained cemetery, Mt. Hope is one of Dahlonega's relatively unknown hidden treasures. The cemetery is, in many ways, an outdoor museum whose residents tell the story of Dahlonega's past, from its days as a Gold Rush boom town to its current attraction as a university and tourist getaway.
In 2018, the Dahlonega Cemetery Committee was organized to advise the Dahlonega City Council on matters of historical preservation, maintenance and future improvements in Mt. Hope.
Location: Cemetery Entrance is located at 438 West Main street, Dahlonega, Ga.
Hours of Visitation
Summer Hours (April-September) Daily 7 am - 7 pm
Winter Hours :(October - March) Daily 7 am - 5 pm
Phone: (Dahlonega City Hall) 706 864-6133
Social media link: Follow us on Facebook, dahlonega cemetery committee
