The first cemetery in Pulaski was then on the outskirts of town in 1817, in a field between what is now S. 1st St. and 2nd St. at Cemtery St. Interments continued here until 1883 when all of the lots were full. Many prominent early citizens were buried here, such as 10 mayors.
Over the next few decades, the area fell into advanced degredation. Nobody else could be buried here and over time, fewer people had loved ones to visit. Many of the tombstones had fallen over or broken and the vegetation had grown out of control.
some 80 years after the last body was buried here, the city wanted to clean up the area, and turn it into a place that could be enjoyed again. With assistance from the federal government (HUD), the city of Pulaski started an urban beautification project here. The overgrowth was cleared out. All of the headstones were located, identified and cleaned. The headstones were then mounted; the smaller ones were embedded into curved structues on the ground and the larger ones were mounted into a stone wal along the back of the park. A few monuent markers that were still standing after the years were left where they were. Finally , landscaping, paved paths and lighting were added.
Today, this passive park which "reopened" in 1969 is a hidden gem in Giles County. A large stone marker in the middle of the park gives an index to where specific headstones can be found. If you are interested in this park, I have an additional 40 photos of the park, which can be found on my website here:
seemidtn.com/gallery/index.php?album=giles-county/old-cem...
No comments:
Post a Comment