Mount Olivet Cemetery—Frederick, Maryland

In June of 2025, we traveled to Frederick, Maryland, and stopped at the Mount Olivet Cemetery. Our original plan was to see the grave of Francis Scott Key; however, we found so much more history. It was well worth our stop.

The main goal of our summer 2025 road trip was to travel from our home in Youngstown, Ohio, down to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Since we had some time and did not need to rush, we decided to use our Road Trippers app to plan a trip that involved traveling only a few hours each day and finding historical locations along the way that were also hopefully haunted. Mount Olivet was one of these locations that we had found, plus the gravesite of Francis Scott Key! We had to add this location to our list.

Our hotel room was not too far from the cemetery, about a 10-minute drive, which we ventured down to after we checked in. We had time before the cemetery closed, so we decided to visit this location first in Frederick. As you approach the large cemetery, you can see the monuments from the street. The monument and gravesite of Francis Scott Key are the first things you see when you pull into the gates. This is his third interment, and they must have decided to move his grave toward the front of the cemetery to make it easier for those who travel there to pay their respects to the one who wrote the nation's national anthem. We created a video and blog post some time ago about the history of the Star-Spangled Banner and talked about how the national anthem came about.

We put together a video of our visit to the cemetery and released it by July 4th, 2025. The following video showcases the gravesite of Francis Scott Key, along with other graves and notable locations within the cemetery.

As previously mentioned, the monument and gravesite of Francis Scott Key greet you as soon as you enter the cemetery. This was the main reason why we chose this location and thought it would be an intriguing cemetery to add to our collection of visits. There are many placards around the monument that explain it and the importance of the gravesite.

The next thing that you notice as you drive past the monument is the impressive Key Memorial Chapel.

The Key Memorial Chapel, also known as the Key Chapel, is located near the entrance of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland, just a short distance from the impressive Francis Scott Key Monument. Built around the turn of the 20th century—likely commissioned in conjunction with the monument’s dedication in 1898—the chapel was originally intended as a serene liturgical space for memorial services and, later, occasional weddings and events. Its quaint stone construction, steep roof, and bell-cote reflect a charming Gothic Revival style, lending the cemetery a quiet, contemplative architectural focal point.

Over the decades, the chapel saw limited use after funeral homes became more prevalent and gradually fell into disrepair. However, restoration efforts in the early 21st century—led by local preservationists—revitalized the structure. Reports indicate roughly $30,000 was raised to restore the chapel’s interior and exterior, returning it to a functional space for services and special events. Today, the Key Chapel remains a hidden gem within the "garden cemetery": a peaceful, historic landmark where visitors can pause and reflect amid a landscape rich in Maryland’s past.

We always dig deeper into the area we are visiting so we don't miss anything. Marianne also found other notable cemetery sites, like Barbara Fritchie's grave.

Barbara Fritchie, a legendary figure of American patriotism, is most famously associated with an incident that took place in Frederick, Maryland, during the Civil War. According to popular lore—immortalized in a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier—Fritchie, a loyal Unionist at age 96, defiantly waved the Union flag from her window as Confederate troops marched through the town in September 1862. When told to remove the flag, she reportedly declared, “Shoot if you must this old gray head, but spare your country’s flag.” Although historians debate the accuracy of this event, the story of Barbara Fritchie has become a symbol of Northern courage and resolve.

We also found the grave of Thomas Johnson, Maryland's first governor.

Thomas Johnson, born in 1732 in Calvert County, Maryland, was a leading figure in the early political and legal history of the United States. A successful lawyer and landowner, Johnson became a strong supporter of American independence, serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was a close ally of George Washington and played a vital role in organizing revolutionary efforts in Maryland. In 1777, Johnson was elected as Maryland’s first governor under its new state constitution. During his time in office, he worked to strengthen the state militia, supply troops for the Continental Army, and stabilize Maryland’s government amid the chaos of the Revolutionary War.

After serving a single one-year term as governor, Johnson continued his public service. He later served as a judge on the Maryland General Court and played a role in the 1788 convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. In 1791, President George Washington appointed him to the U.S. Supreme Court, though Johnson’s poor health led him to resign after only a short tenure. Despite his brief time on the bench, Johnson’s legacy is significant—he helped lay the legal and governmental foundations of Maryland and supported the establishment of the new nation. He died in 1819.

We also found the graves of Bertha and Florence Trail.

Bertha and Florence Trail were pioneering sisters from Frederick, Maryland, known for their contributions to literature, education, and historical preservation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a well-educated and civically engaged family, both women pursued higher education at a time when such opportunities were limited for women. They became widely respected as authors and educators, with a deep interest in classical studies, poetry, and historical subjects. Their work was not only influential locally but also reached audiences beyond Frederick, as they published books and essays that reflected their literary talents and scholarly interests.

The Trail sisters were also instrumental in preserving Frederick’s rich historical and cultural heritage. They were active in local civic organizations and contributed to the early movements for women’s education and rights. Their home in Frederick became a center of intellectual discussion and literary activity, reflecting their lifelong dedication to learning and public engagement. Bertha and Florence Trail left an enduring mark in their community—through both their writings and their efforts to preserve Maryland’s cultural identity—and are remembered today as trailblazers who helped set the stage for future generations of women in the arts and education.

One of the graves that Marianne was adamant to locate was Frances Scott Key, Jr. He is buried in the family plot within the cemetery, and this is where his father, Francis Scott Key Sr., was interred the second time before being moved to the front of the cemetery.

Francis Scott Key Jr., the son of famed "Star-Spangled Banner" author Francis Scott Key, was born in 1826 and carried forward his family’s legacy of public service and civic engagement. Although he was not as widely known as his father, Key Jr. led a respectable life as both a lawyer and a businessman. He was educated at Princeton University and later pursued a legal career in Maryland and Washington, D.C., where he served in various professional and governmental capacities. His work often brought him into contact with prominent political and social figures of the mid-19th century, continuing the Key family's influence in national affairs.

Key Jr. lived through a turbulent era in American history, including the Civil War, during which his family’s loyalties—like many in border states—were divided. Despite these challenges, he maintained his professional standing and focused on his legal and business ventures. He was also involved in managing family estates and properties, including those tied to his father's legacy. Although he did not attain the national fame of his father, Francis Scott Key Sr., Francis Jr. played a significant role in preserving and continuing the distinguished reputation of their family. He died in 1866 and was buried near his father.

Next, Marianne found the grave of James C. Clarke. Actually, the grave was right up front next to the chapel, and we originally drove past it, but we stopped there on our way out of the cemetery.

James C. Clarke (March 4, 1823 – December 9, 1902) was a notable figure in Maryland's 19th-century railroad and political arenas. He began his career in the railroad industry as a track repairer on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1840s, swiftly rising through the ranks to become a locomotive fireman, conductor, and trainmaster. Clarke later held leading roles in several major lines, including superintendent of the Central Ohio and Northern Central railroads and general superintendent and president of the Illinois Central, Erie, and Mobile & Ohio Railroads. 

Notably, he oversaw President Abraham Lincoln’s transport from Harrisburg to Washington, D.C., following Lincoln’s election. In addition to his railroad achievements, Clarke was active in Maryland politics. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates in 1867 and the State Senate from 1868 to 1872, where his influence helped shape infrastructure policy in Baltimore County. Governor Oden Bowie appointed him president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in 1870, and he later served as president and general manager of several prominent railroads well into the 1890s.

Clarke was also a generous civic benefactor: he gifted the ornate fountain in front of Frederick’s City Hall in 1862 and had a lasting influence on the city—Clarke Place is named in his honor. He passed away in Chicago in 1902 from Bright’s disease and was interred alongside his wife and children at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick.

The final place that we noticed within the cemetery was the Confederate row.

Confederate Row in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick, Maryland, is a solemn and poignant resting place for more than 300 Confederate soldiers who died in nearby Civil War battles and at Frederick’s wartime hospitals. These men, many wounded at Antietam, South Mountain, Monocacy, and Gettysburg, were interred in a long, trench-like arrangement because Southern families often lacked the means to repatriate their loved ones—unlike Union soldiers, who were later moved to national cemeteries. Today, 275 identified Confederates lie alongside 29 unknown soldiers, their marble or stone markers forming the iconic visual of Confederate Row lining the northern edge of the cemetery.

In 1880–81, the Ladies Monumental Association of Frederick County organized a reinterment effort and erected a Monument to the Unknown Confederate Soldiers near the Row, honoring 408 unidentified men who had perished in battle, especially at Monocacy. Visitors today describe walking the length of Confederate Row—sometimes nearly five minutes—as a moving experience, reflecting on the human cost of war and the fractured loyalties of border regions like Maryland. While wartime tensions have faded, debates over symbols remain: Confederate flags have flown above the Row until recent years, and the marble soldier atop the 1881 monument was toppled and vandalized during 2020 protests. Confederate Row continues to serve as a powerful site of memory and history, prompting reflection on reconciliation, remembrance, and the enduring impact of the Civil War.

Our visit to Mount Olivet Cemetery was a wonderful experience. We will always remember seeing the final resting place of Francis Scott Key and learning about some of the others interred within the grounds. If you are in the area of Frederick, Maryland, we highly recommend you take some time to stop and visit this historical and haunted cemetery. Maybe you already have. If you did, please let us know down in the comments.