History-rich cemetery gets maintenance plan from city

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville's historical cemetery now has a maintenance plan that will feature maintenance of the common grounds by the city's public works department.

The city also plans to erect to large brick obelisks with wrought iron fencing at the main entrance to the cemetery.

The cemetery, which houses the families of many early settlers such as the Blalocks, the Redwines, the Hollidays and the Fitzgeralds, also is home to roughly 90 confederate veterans of the Civil War.

The City Council recently approved a slate of recommendations to maintain the cemetery that was submitted by the city's Main Street Board of Directors.

The recommendations include performing a historical site and grave inventory, conducting a geographical survey to establish the original boundaries and developing a landscape plan.

Long-term the city hopes to establish walking tours of the cemetery and encourage volunteer groups to help in the restoration and continued care of the cemetery.

Individual maintenance of each grave is left up to the individual families or their heirs, said Gary Baumgardner, chairman of the Main Street Design Committee.