CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Tennessee Historical Commission and State Historic Preservation Office announced the addition of six properties to the National Register of Historic Places, one of those being Mt. Olive Cemetery in Clarksville.

Mt. Olive Cemetery is a historic African American burial site, with the first burial being recorded in 1817. There were burials held here until 1958.

The Mt. Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society was established as a nonprofit in 2004 with the aim of preserving the 7.24-acre property. According to a press release from Tennessee Heritage Protection Act and Outreach, there are at least 1,350 graves in the cemetery, and a recent ground penetrating radar survey suggests that there are more, especially since over 90% of the graves are unmarked.

This cemetery is the oldest and biggest African American cemetery in Clarksville.