The old Dutch Cemetery in Elmina town dates back to 1806. It was constructed on the order of Governor of the Dutch Gold Coast. Up until that date, the Dutch had buried their dead inside or just outside Elmina Castle, but by the beginning of the 19th century, little space was left there, so it was decided to construct a new cemetery in what was known as “the Garden” of Elmina. Ironically, Governor Hoogenboom was also one of the first people to be interred in the cemetery, after he died at the hands of the locals with whom he had a rift.
