Entry No. 17 — the Raleigh file — filed under: cemeteries
Henry Seawell Family Cemetery
Hidden in plain sight on a grassy hillside in downtown Raleigh, the crumbling stone walls of this abandoned 1835 family cemetery form a perfect square that is mostly overlooked by passing drivers.
The story
Drive past the corner of Booker and Hill Streets in downtown Raleigh and you will almost certainly miss it. Set into a grassy hillside along a residential block sits a low, crumbling square of ancient masonry. It looks like an abandoned retaining wall until you step up to the embankment and realize you are standing over the remnants of an 1835 family cemetery.
Henry Seawell was one of Raleigh’s earliest prominent attorneys, eventually serving as attorney general of North Carolina. As the city grew and modern street grids carved up his former land, the family burial plot stayed right where it was. Today, decades of urban development have wrapped entirely around the small square, leaving weathered stonework quietly embedded in the dirt while neighborhood traffic passes by.
What it's like
Finding the site requires no tickets or tour guides—just pull up along the curb at Booker and Hill Street and look up toward the slope. The spot is completely unmonumented, so you are examining raw, degrading 19th-century stonework hidden in plain view. Visit during daylight hours, stick to the public right-of-way, and give yourself ten minutes to inspect the masonry before moving on.
The move: Hunt down this hidden-in-plain-sight relic at the corner of Booker and Hill Street, where you can examine the ancient stonework that has survived decades of urban development.
- 📍 Downtown Raleigh
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Corner of Booker St and Hill St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Mordecai Historic Park — Pair this hidden 1830s burial plot with a visit to Raleigh's oldest standing home and its famous local ghost lore.
- Heck-Andrews House — Extend your tour of downtown Raleigh's 19th-century relics by checking out this grand 1870 Victorian mansion.
- Craft Habit — Balance out crumbling 1830s stonework with a creative workshop or craft supply run less than a mile away.
Good to know
Where exactly is the cemetery located?
It sits directly at the intersection of Booker Street and Hill Street on a grassy slope in downtown Raleigh.
Is there an entry fee or posted hours?
No. It is an open roadside relic in a residential neighborhood, so visit during daylight hours.
Who was Henry Seawell?
He was an early Raleigh attorney and former North Carolina Attorney General whose family established the burial plot in 1835.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: wral.com
last checked: 2026-07-21