Unless you’re a history buff, you may be surprised to learn that cemeteries once were considered like parks are today, where people could come and visit the graves of their dearly departed and then stay and enjoy the outdoor space.
Dorothy Cooper, and her fellow board members on the Louisburg Historic District, have embraced this concept and have planned some events that will take place in Oakwood Cemetery in Louisburg.
Local historian Joe Pearce will present a “Graveside Chat” on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is a free event, but participants are asked to register. Pearce will be discussing the Davis / Allen family. Bring a lawn chair, a blanket to spread on the ground and even a cooler to enjoy the afternoon’s program.
“I’ve always had a love and fascination for cemeteries,” Cooper told WIZS co-host Bill Harris on Wednesday’s TownTalk. When she and her family bought an old home on Main Street 17 years ago, she visited Oakwood to learn about the family that had built the home.
“We wanted to know more about the home before we did anything,” she said. Not only did she locate the family plot, but also located descendants of the original owners.
Cemeteries can provide valuable information about the people whose births and deaths are recorded on headstones, which range from simple, flat markers to elaborate works of art carved from marble.
Over time, however, headstones require maintenance and sometimes repair. And the Louisburg Historic District helps to raise funds for that work.
The city-owned cemetery is in better shape now than in the recent past, Cooper said, adding that an arborist has been called in to assess the health of the trees that dot the cemetery.
Taking care of the landscape is as important as taking care of the grounds, she added.
The group will sponsor a headstone cleaning and monument preservation workshop on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This workshop costs $50 and will be limited to 20 participants, but all supplies and materials will be provided.
“You come away with hands-on experience” in cleaning gravestones. “It’s amazing what water and a soft brush can do,” Cooper said.
The cemetery also will be the site for the second “Sip and Stroll with Souls” on Oct. 29 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Docents will be on site, some in period dress, to discuss various noteworthy individuals buried in Oakwood. This event is a fundraiser for the group; proceeds go toward cemetery upkeep.
Visit www.louisburghistoricdistrict.com to learn more or find the group on Facebook.
CLICK PLAY!
