Facilities

History
Spanning more than 68 acres, Calvary Cemetery was established as a burial ground for Norfolk's African American citizens on January 9, 1877. For nearly a century, most of Norfolk's African American citizens were interred at Calvary as there were not other burial options available to African Americans in Norfolk until the mid-1970s. Epitaphs document the lives of every aspect of African American society, from doctors, lawyers, and businessmen to soldiers, sailors, and laborers. 

Today, Calvary serves as both a place of remembrance and a remarkable chronology of important contributions made by Norfolk's African American citizens to the history of our City. Many of Norfolk’s Civil Rights pioneers and champions may be found on the grounds today. The namesakes for Norfolk places like Young’s Park and the Vivian C. Mason Teen Center are laid to rest here. The old section is home to the lovely Lane Angel, the largest monument in the cemetery. Section 10 is the site of a military memorial highlighting just some of the heroes who rest here. The site is host to ceremonies to honor our military each year. 

The business office is closed, but appointments for funeral arrangements can be made by calling 757-441-1967. We do not offer any walk-in services.

All other services like grave locations, visit our website at www.norfolk.gov/cemeteries to download our grave location app or call 757-441-1967.

Aerial Photograph & Plot Information

• Map of Calvary Cemetery.
• Aerial map of Calvary Cemetery

Interment Information Online

The Norfolk Bureau of Cemeteries' interment database is now available online via webCemeteries.com. The Bureau's database does not include obituaries or monument photographs.  USGenWeb Archives, a cooperative network of volunteers that provides genealogical information on the internet, provides many of these in its interment catalog of Calvary Cemetery. If you cannot locate an interment, please call 757-441-2654 or email for more information.

Cemetery Events, Volunteer Opportunities, Conservation Information
Click here for information about Norfolk Historic Cemeteries events, volunteer opportunities, and conservation information.