The first Methodist congregation in Charleston, SC purchased land in 1795 and first building completed 1797. Located today at 57 Pitt Street. Cemetery is on the corner of Pitt & Calhoun Streets. This is an inactive cemetery for burials the last 50+ years.

Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery was not an all white cemetery as is commonly believed. people of all races, free persons and slaves, are buried in this graveyard. A large portion of the graveyard was paved over and turned into a parking lot many years ago. The graves were not relocated, but the gravestones were removed and were leaned against a wood frame church building for years. When the building was torn down a few years back, the remaining gravestones were leaned against a masonry fence, where they remain to this day. This monument was erected in 2012, possibly to help make amends for the lack of respect for the souls now buried under an asphalt parking lot

This parking lot was paved over part of the Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery. The bodies were not re-interred, but were simply left in place and paved over. The contractors removed the gravestones and piled them beside one of the old church buildings where many were lost due to theft and vandalism. A few years ago one of the deacons of the church placed many of the remaining gravestones against the masonry fence (upper right in photo) where they remain today. Although weathered, many of the gravestones still have inscriptions that could be read if they were cleaned up some.

Some of the gravestones removed when Bethel Church needed parking so badly that they were willing to desecrate a portion of their graveyard by turning it into a parking lot. The headstones leaning against the masonry fence are all that remains to mark their passing. if you cannot locate your ancestors grave in Bethel Cemetery, he or she may be buried under this asphalt. Some of the headstones may be legible if the mold and dirt should be cleaned away. Many of the gravestones have been lost due to theft and vandalism.