Coming Street Cemetery
Also known as: Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Congregational Cemetery189 Coming St., Charleston, South Carolina
Map
Coordinates:
+32.78991, -79.9430032°47'24" N, 79°56'35" W
Description
The Coming Street Cemetery, established in 1762, is privately owned by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (Holy Congregation of the House of God), a congregation whose synagogue is itself a National Historic Landmark. This cemetery is the oldest Jewish burial ground in the South. It is also significant for its association with the history of the Beth Elohim, a congregation established in 1749 and the birthplace of Reform Judaism in America in 1824; as the chief cemetery for Charleston’s significant Jewish community since the colonial era; and for its fine examples of late-eighteenth century and early nineteenth century gravestone art. The cemetery contains some six hundred marble and brownstone gravestones, most dating from the last half of the eighteenth century or the first half of the nineteenth century. It includes many box tombs, table-top tombs, obelisks, and columns, several of them fine examples of late-eighteenth and nineteenth century gravestone art, and many signed by such prominent local sculptors and stonecutters as A.F. Chevreaux, M. Gannon, G. Rennie, D.A. Walker, Edward R. White, and William T. White. Many gravestones feature Hebrew inscriptions and/or Jewish religious motifs. A perimeter stuccoed brick wall, part of it original, is an important feature of the site and has been a major factor in keeping the cemetery intact for over two hundred years. Listed in the National Register November 5, 1996. - SCDAH
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 1996
- Reference number
- 96001223
- Areas of significance
- Social History; Religion; Art
- Level of significance
- National
- Evaluation criteria
- A - Event; C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- Site
- Historic function
- Cemetery
- Current function
- Cemetery
- Periods of significance
- 1900-1924; 1875-1899; 1850-1874; 1825-1849; 1800-1824; 1750-1799
- Significant years
- 1762; 1842; 1843
Update Log
- August 18, 2014: Photo imported by Michael Miller
- July 14, 2014: Updated by Michael Miller: Added "Description" & "Street View"
- July 14, 2014: New Street View added by Michael Miller