I visited the cemetery in Savannah for the first time in 2014. It’s a historic African American cemetery that has faced hardship due to poor management. While the lack of care for the cemetery is problematic, the vernacular headstones remind us how much these people were loved.
As of 2021, the owner of the cemetery has passed away, and families are still struggling to get the cemetery cleaned.
Oral history states that the church started in 1812 in a log cabin on the current property. The cemetery has been in existence since approximately the same time. The church and cemetery were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
One of two cemeteries that sits in the shadow of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The Flat Rock Church Cemetery was founded in 1870s. It is one of the few reminders of a community once known as Flat Rock. It is accessible via Riverdale Road.
Located amongst the roads and runways of Hartsfield-Jackson International airport are two cemeteries. One of those cemeteries is the Hart Family Cemetery which was started in 1860. It contains several generations of the Ellender (1822-1860) and John (1816-1898) Hart family. The land has been owned by the Hart family and their descendants since the 1840s.
A 1995 assessment of the survey counted eighty-three graves, with most only being marked by fieldstones. The last burial occurred in the 1940s. The cemetery is still publicly accessible via Sullivan Road.
I visited this cemetery in 2014. I knew it had been vandalized. It’s supposedly haunted. I did not experience any ghosts, witches, or green fog as mentioned in some of the tales I have read online. I am more inclined to believe the bad energy anyone experiences is caused by seeing a cemetery disrespected.
The only thing I was concerned about were there any vandals in the area. You can see from these photos there was a great deal of damage to headstones. I understand that the cemetery is now locked, and the police regularly patrol the area.
Casey’s Hill Cemetery, at the back of Crestlawn Cemetery, is a family cemetery for John Casey. Even though you access the cemetery through Crestlawn, it is not officially cared for by Crestlawn. It’s best to visit when it is cold because of all the vegetation. John Casey and family lived on top of this hill. It has experienced neglect over the years, but it has been cleaned periodically through the years.
Henry Haney, fifteen year old fireman, is buried here. He was a part of the “The Great Locomotive Chase.” Additionally, Chief Investigator Bert Donaldson is buried here who was shot and killed during an ambush attack during an investigation. His accused murderers were cleared of all charges.
