Entry No. 2 — the Charlotte file — filed under: historic cemetery
Old Settlers' Cemetery
Nestled directly beneath modern Uptown skyscrapers, this Revolutionary War-era cemetery established around 1768 holds Charlotte's founders along with a dark history of 19th-century grave-robbing for medical school dissections.
The story
You are standing on brick pathways sandwiched between Poplar and Church Streets on West 5th, where banking towers stare directly down into a patch of earth set aside around 1768. This was Charlotte’s very first municipal burial ground, established back when the city was little more than a dusty colonial crossroads. Leaders like Revolutionary War officer Colonel Thomas Polk were laid to rest here alongside early merchants, civic figures, and forgotten residents long before high-rises took over the skyline.
Beneath the manicured lawn and historical markers lies a darker 19th-century history that city tourism brochures usually gloss over. During the 1800s, when medical education required actual human bodies for anatomical dissection, grave-robbing became a clandestine trade. Local lore recounts medical students slipping onto the grounds under cover of darkness to unearth fresh interments—including the body of a young woman named Louise, whose stolen remains sparked local legend and cemented the cemetery's morbid reputation.
Today, the contrast is stark: modern reflective glass rises on every side, while centuries-old slate and marble markers sit quietly in the shade. Some stones are so weathered by time and acid rain that the names have completely dissolved, while others—including the oldest headstone on the grounds—have been carefully restored to preserve the paper-trail of Charlotte's founders.
What it's like
Arrive near dusk when the shade under the mature trees deepens and the nearby financial district begins to quiet down. You will mostly share the brick paths with dog walkers and office workers taking a shortcut, though the atmosphere turns remarkably quiet for being in the middle of Uptown. Walk the perimeter behind First Presbyterian Church to inspect the faint carvings on the early 19th-century headstones, and look for Colonel Polk's tomb marker toward the center. Because the site is managed by the city as a historical park, confirm operational hours before you go if you plan a late-evening visit.
The move: Take a self-guided twilight stroll along the shaded brick paths to find Colonel Thomas Polk's marker and search for the grave of Louise, the young woman allegedly stolen by 1800s medical students.
- 📍 Fourth Ward / Uptown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 200 W 5th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Alexander Michael's — Pair your historic walk with a drink inside this nearby 1897 Fourth Ward tavern, featuring a bar crafted from oak doors saved during local demolitions.
- The Dunhill Hotel — Walk one block east to visit another landmark with a dark urban past, built in 1929.
- The Cotton Room at Belfast Mill — Head three blocks down to Brevard Court to find a hidden cocktail den tucked inside a former 19th-century cotton drying loft.
Good to know
Where is Old Settlers' Cemetery located?
You'll find it at 200 W 5th St, situated between Poplar and Church Streets in Uptown Charlotte's Fourth Ward.
Who is buried at Old Settlers' Cemetery?
It holds many of Charlotte's earliest residents and colonial founders, including Revolutionary War leader Colonel Thomas Polk.
What is the history behind the grave robbing stories?
In the 1800s, medical students allegedly raided fresh graves in the cemetery to procure cadavers for anatomical dissection, including the grave of a young local woman named Louise.
Is there an entry fee to visit?
No, it is a public, city-owned historic park that is free to walk through self-guided.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: charlottenc.gov · charlotteobserver.com · Wikipedia · landmarkscommission.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21