Riverview has an interesting history and was begun as City Cemetery by Judge Joseph Donaldson who donated the property around 1844. Because it originally occupied the area surrounding the First Methodist Church, it was sometimes mistakenly thought of as a church cemetery. However, it was never part of the church property, although many Methodists are buried there. It was also known as Canton Cemetery and Town Cemetery.

 

The Riverview Cemetery surrounds the old church building on three sides, with the oldest section being on the top of the hill on the west of the building, then to the East, and finally directly behind the building. The church building later served as the Cherokee Arts Center and is now part of the Cherokee County Court system. It has been totally renovated and is owned by the county.

 

After the death of Mr. Blackwell who had Power of Attorney to sell lots, the cemetery fell into a terribly overgrown state. In 1989 the Riverview Cemetery Association was created as a non-profit to raise funds through donations for minimal property maintenance and to offer oversight for the deteriorating property.  This was accomplished through the efforts of concerned citizens and descendants of those buried within the cemetery properties, and headed by State Senator William G. Hasty, Sr.  

 

The Riverview Cemetery Association became the nonprofit “owner” to provide management and maintenance for the cemetery property, and to raise funds for continuing care. While the general public enjoys this lovely green space, no public funding is involved in the current cemetery maintenance, and no one can claim gravesites without a deed or proof of ownership.

 

A cemetery mapping project using radar equipment to determine actual, suspected, and totally unknown grave locations was finished in 2024.  Actual 356 unmarked burial sites were noted and marked with a 3” stainless steel disc, flush to the ground. Using an updated directory of names for all previously known burials originally created in 1995, the cemetery officers are continually in the process of correlating new information into an updated map.  

 

The current directory, in two formats— last name alphabetized, and by location on the map, is currently available on the website (www.riverviewcemeterycanton.org.)  The map, when completed, will be displayed on the grounds as well as being found on the website.

 

A brief listing of burials include:

 

* Early emigrants to the Cherokee Indian Country, including descendants of missionaries and teachers to the Cherokee Nation, along with others who worked to establish both Canton and Cherokee County governments, business and industry, some arriving within the area prior to Canton or Cherokee County being officially formed and the Cherokee Nation removed to Oklahoma.

 

* Veterans of many wars including the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and other conflicts are buried in Riverview.

 

* Civic, business, banking and industrial leaders, some of whose names can be found on plaques, cornerstones or facades of historic Canton buildings.  

 

* Former merchants, bankers, industrialists, business owners, and church leaders, along with artisans who worked within several marble and granite monument companies once lining the early railroad in Canton.

 

* Former Canton mayors and council members, including those who established early water, electrical, and telephone systems for Canton, and founded the Canton City Schools that later became the backbone of the early Cherokee County Schools system.

 

* Many early medical doctors, including Dr. N. J. Coker who established the first area hospital in Canton.  This Coker Hospital eventually grew and became the R. T. Jones Memorial Hospital, and later the currently expanding Northside Cherokee Regional Hospital.

 

* Former government officials, including both federal and state congressional representatives.

 

* Former editors and owners of local newspapers pre-dating the Cherokee Tribune, including the Cherokee Advance and the North Georgia Tribune.  These were ancestors who reported local news and provided editorial comment to help citizens understand the various factors making up the pros and cons of government decisions and proposals.

 

*The Jones family who provided numerous businesses and industrial job opportunities for the entire region, including the former cotton mill industry which produced denim for major jeans and clothing manufacturers around the country, has a private cemetery adjacent to Riverview and its own listing of “residents”. However, R. T. Jones and some of his family are buried in Riverview at the site of the beautiful huge Jones monument.

 

Interesting stories prevail regarding many of our ancestors buried in Riverview.  There is the grave of Miss Mae Perry who spent a lifetime developing a Baptist girls’ school in Nigeria.  Mr. Page, a tanner of leather in Canton whose request for a dry spot for his burial, resulted in a small “house” being constructed over his grave.  Bill McCanless, born deaf, became the first area Eagle Scout and established the Scouting program in Canton and other locations.  A former slave who gained freedom and some degree of wealth, left instructions for procuring a marble grave marker.  Recently buried was a former teacher of beloved singer-entertainer Brenda Lee. And the interesting transition of marble monuments to granite became popular as local marble entrepreneurs became involved in the granite quarries near Elberton.

 

The Association desires to accumulate as many stories as possible regarding cemetery “residents”, a task which will require descendants reporting this information to the Association. If you have a family story, we would love to hear it. Please contact us via email at RiverviewCemeteryCanton@gmail.com.

 

Riverview Cemetery incorporates both area history and Canton greenspace, and is presently a private cemetery open to the public from dawn to dusk. Burials for those who own a plot continue to this day. 

 

A recent work day included a Daughters of the American Revolution chapter from the Canton area with leadership from the administrative board members, saw about 25 people cleaning monuments with a specialty cleaner in the western section. Plans are to continue this kind of scheduled work in other sections of the cemetery. It is also a hope to offer guided walking tours in the future with information about the various people who rest there.

 

This is a space which creates reverence for walkers to remember and honor historic forebears and their accomplishments.  It is also a place of beauty and restful repose that can be appropriately enjoyed by all citizens.

 

We hope you will visit Riverview and let us know of your experience. 

 

If you wish to donate to the maintenance of Riverview for all to enjoy, please visit our online site at www.riverviewcemeterycanton.org and use the contact page for donating instructions. Thank you!

 

June, 2026