tennessee Archives - Page 2 of 3 - The Cemetery Detective™

State Line Cemetery and the Nickajack Bat Cave

State Line Cemetery was established in the early 1800’s.

A visit to State Line Cemetery

On a recent trip to the Nickajack Bat Cave on the shoreline of the Tennessee River, I discovered a cemetery very near the junction of the Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia borders.

State Line Cemetery was established in the early 1800’s. This coincides with the era many Euro-Americans were moving into this part of Tennessee. The land was still heavily populated and influenced by Native American culture. However, the political, economic, and cultural landscapes were changing. Additionally, the environmental landscape was changing with farmers beginning to graze livestock in the area.

Many of the early gravestones are simple fieldstones laid to mark each gravesite. These early gravestones have no discernable markings thus giving no indication of the name nor date-of-death of the interred. Other grave markers are more modern dating to recent years.

Stateline Cemetery encompasses ground very near the junction point of the Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia borders. If you wish to visit this junction, park your car at the cemetery and find a trail heading due west. The junction point lies about 100 yards from the westernmost edge of State Line Cemetery.

For added excitement to your cemetery hunting, visit the Nickajack Bat Cave at sunset. The cave can be accessed via the Maple View Public Use Area. Shortly after sunset, thousands of bats exit the cave. They flood the tree tops in search of their nightly meals consisting of various insects.

There is a short hiking trail leading to an observation platform. If you have a kayak, you viewing will be greatly enhanced as you can kayak right up to the mouth of the cave and watch the bats exit directly overhead.

1) Nickajack Bat Cave

2) TN AL GA Border Junction

Lebanon In The Fork First Presbyterian Cemetery

Lebanon In The Fork Presbyterian Cemetery overlooks the muddy headwaters of the Tennessee River.

Lebanon Church Cemetery Near the Fork of the Holston and French Broad

Near the confluence of the Holston River and French Broad River a church burned down in 1981. Its bell and columns were saved but, other than those items, the most enduring visual reminder of the Lebanon Presbyterian church are the tombstones of the old church cemetery.

There is a quarry nearby. Tread carefully along the well-worn footpath toward the rear of the cemetery.

Lusk Cemetery – Marion County, Tennessee

Lusk Cemetery in the heart of Marion County, Tennessee. Prentice Cooper State Park

Lusk Cemetery in the heart of Marion County Tennessee

Along dusty Game Reserve Road in the heart of Marion County, Tennessee is a small cemetery deep within the Prentice Cooper State Forest. There was no cemetery listed on my map when I happened upon Lusk Cemetery. With windshield wipers clearing a narrow field of vision, my van was turning earth colored from all the dust being thrown up on this narrow hunting road. Occasionally gunshots rang out and as I exited my vehicle, 4 hunters on two 4-wheelers appeared from the woods. They stopped briefly to watch me extend the legs on my tripod, then, being more interested in hunting deer than watching some weirdo taking pictures in a cemetery, they revved up their all-terrain vehicles and vanished into the densely wooded state park.

I love Marion County and Prentice Cooper State Park. When I’m sick of the city, Prentice Cooper is one of my favorite get-aways. I can hike for miles in the woods and never see a soul. But these guys on their 4-wheelers; I admire them. I admire their local knowledge of the land upon which they live. I admire the fact that if civilization ever shuts down, these guys will be the survivors. I looked upon them with caution as they came roaring up on their 4-wheelers. Would they consider me a threat? Would they not take kindly that I was taking photographs of their relative’s grave sites? Nah, I’m just like them…exploring the land, paying respect to those who have passed along before me, and minding my own business not hurting anyone.

Lusk Cemetery represents God’s Country in Marion County, Tennessee.

Beck Knob Cemetery Delays Construction

Beck Knob Cemetery – local construction crews discover a long forgotten cemetery forcing bulldozer operators to halt their work.

Beck Knob Cemetery
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Local construction crews halt work after discovering grave plots within their work area.

It’s funny how a simple newscast can change the course of your day. After exiting the post office and returning to my car, I flipped on the local talk radio station to hear the local news. 10 seconds later and I would have missed this news blurb completely. However, Kevin West dropped a hint that a local construction crew discovered a long forgotten cemetery forcing bulldozer operators to halt their work.

I have visited Beck Cemetery many times but I wasn’t familiar with Beck Knob Cemetery. Using a GPS Cemetery Data-Set downloaded into my Garmin, I discovered the cemetery was a quick 5 minute drive from my location. I popped over to survey the cemetery and chat with the construction crew. Instead of workers, I found a news team busily filing their report. They seemed amused when they realized I study cemeteries. Within seconds they asked for (and received) my permission to be interviewed for their evening newscast.

Without proper planning, I felt unprepared to give an interview but the professional reporter lead me through the process fairly pain-free.

Beck Knob Cemetery is a family burying ground dating from the late 1800’s to the early 1940’s. The land was donated by a local land owner when he saw a need for burial plots for former slaves and their families. The ground has been maintained over the decades since the 1940’s but recently fell into neglect. Anyone who lives in the Chattanooga area knows Kudzu, which was brought into the area in the 1800’s to curb erosion of our steep hillsides, quickly overtakes plats of land. Kudzu has completely overgrown Beck Knob in recent years obscuring the cemetery from the construction crew’s visual inspections. By all accounts, the construction crews seem to be acting reasonably in their protection of the cemetery.

Though the cemetery is well known by residents of the area, I feel sure recent news coverage of the cemetery will prompt surrounding land owners to re-familiarize themselves with the cemetery’s boundaries.

Forest Hills Cemetery – Chattanooga, Tennessee

Forest Hills Cemetery is easily one of the most interesting cemeteries in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Name: Forest Hills Cemetery
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Address:
Coordinates: 35.007702 -85.327382

Nestled within the Lookout Mountain foothills, Forest Hills Cemetery is easily one of the most interesting cemeteries in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Whenever I am in Chattanooga, I love to visit Forest Hills and wander through the older sections of the cemetery.

From the only female to ever strike out Babe Ruth to leaders of local industries dating back to the early years of Chattanooga’s industrial age, Forest Hills resident list is long and varied.

Forest Hills Cemetery - St. Elmo, Tennessee — The rolling terrain that helps give Forest Hills its name.

Truly exhibiting the rolling terrain that makes Chattanooga such a scenic city, Forest Hills’ landscape varies between sections of flat areas populated by flush mounted grave markers to steep inclines with aging monuments standing stalwart overlooking historic St. Elmo 7 miles outside of the city.

Many notable Chattanoogans are buried in Forest Hills Cemetery.

John T. Wilder was a Union Colonel during the U.S. Civil War. On September 18, 1863 Wilder masterfully defended Chickamauga Creek to prevent Confederate Soldiers from flanking the Union Army. This action helped secure the Union position on that day. Wilder later battled in Atlanta and eventually returned to Chattanooga to begin a foundry. He died in 1917. Wilder Tower was build on the grounds of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

On April 2, 1931 17 year old Jackie Mitchell struck out famous Baseball legend Babe Ruth during a Chattanooga Lookouts game against the New York Yankees in Chattanooga. The next batter was Lou Gehrig who swung and missed three times for her second strike out in a row. Jackie continued to play professionally but baseball officials cancelled her contract and declared women unfit to play baseball.

Longtime President and tireless promoter of the Chattanooga Lookouts Baseball Team Joe Engle was a fixture in Chattanooga. This southpaw pitcher came to Chattanooga in 1929 and ran a successful franchise operation with oddball promotions. Chattanooga’s famous Engle Stadium was named after Joe who died in 1969.

Price Chapel Cemetery – Bradley County Tennessee

Price Chapel Cemetery (Cemetary) is defined by an overwhemlingly striking tree which greets (almost ominously so) visitors to this small cemetery located between Cleveland Tennessee and Chattanooga Tennessee.

Price Chapel Cemetery - Entrance — Price Chapel Cemetery (Cemetary)

Many cemeteries we visit are defined by a single tombstone. A large obelisk, ornate carving on a single granite monolith, or a magnificient white bronze erection often is the defining feature in a cemetery and makes us say “This tombstone defines the cemetery.”

However, Price Chapel Cemetery (Cemetary) is defined by an overwhemlingly striking tree which greets (almost ominously so) visitors to this small cemetery located between Cleveland Tennessee and Chattanooga Tennessee.

Markers date back to the mid 1800’s to a time in Bradley County when the coming Civil War was not even a rumor. Unfortunately, progress is never ceasing and the area immediately surrounding Price Chapel is becoming overrun with car dealers and movie theaters.

Price Chapel Cemetery (Cemetary) Tree — The Tree Defines the Cemetery – Price Chapel Cemetery

Following a keen interest in cemeteries The Cemetery Detective has studied burying grounds from Hawaii to Maine, Europe, and throughout the United Kingdom. He instructs entrepreneurs how to start their own grave care businesses through his website: www.GraveCareBusiness.com

Charleston Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery – Charleston Tennessee

Charleston’s Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery is located on a slope nestled amongst rolling Tennessee hill on the extreme northeast Bradley County border less than 400 meters from the Hiawassee River.

The spring storms and tornados of 2011 devastated many areas of southeast Tennessee. As I scoured the Tennessee countryside on an unusually warm winter’s day cloud swirls screamed past and I wondered if I were soon to be caught in another spate of southern twisters. Charleston’s Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery is located on a slope nestled among rolling Tennessee hills on the extreme northeast Bradley County border less than 400 meters from the Hiawassee River.

I barely braved the torrents of rain sheeting toward the ground at 45 degree angles long enough to snap a few photographs. This is such a beautiful area of Tennessee, I wish I could have wandered around longer.

Charleston_Cumberland_Presbyterian_Cemetery_Gravestones

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Price Cemetery – Polk County, Tennessee

Price Cemetery aka Cloud Cemetery, Polk County, Tennessee — Price Cemetery – Polk County, Tennessee

Name: Price Cemetery
Known As: Cloud Cemetery
State: Tennessee
County: Polk County
Approximate Coordinates: N35 06.790 W84 34.592
Notable Residents: George Cloud

My father’s friend requested that I locate the old “Cloud” Cemetery near her (and my father’s) birthplace. It took me a few days to realize that Cloud Cemetery’s official name is Price Cemetery.

George Cloud - Price Cemetery - Polk County, Tennessee — George Cloud Died Jan. 30 1861

Beck Cemetery – Chattanooga Tennessee

Beck Cemetery in Chattanooga Tennessee contains a single memorial marker dedicated to all those who are known to be buried within the cemetery.

Beck Cemetery Marker Chattanooga Tennessee — Beck Cemetery – Chattanooga Tennessee

Engulfed by an active golf course and residing adjecent to green Number 3, Beck Cemetery in Chattanooga Tennessee risked being forgotten forever.

Beck Cemetery dates back at least to the mid-1800’s when early settlers of Chattanooga who were involved in sawmills, passenger ferries, quarries, and produce trading founded this plot of land as a family cemetery. Shortly after World War II the cemetery was damaged. It laid neglected for decades until two local residents began independent efforts to rehabilitate the cemetery and pay homage to those buried there.

Beck Cemetery contains a single memorial marker dedicated to all those who are known to be buried within the cemetery.