This past weekend I visited Americus, Ga. which is the location of Oak Grove Cemetery, the oldest active cemetery in Georgia. It is a beautiful place and is the final resting place of many famous Georgians. It is also the first cemetery I've seen that is laid out as it is. Almost all of the graves are within family plots which are marked off by either brick walls or wrought iron fences.It is obviously well tended but apparently this was not always the case. Up until 2003 the cemetery was largely ignored but then a state senator started a drive to clean up and renovate it. In 2007 a large tornado again heavily damaged the graves and grounds and another renovation was done.
The main reason I visited though was to see my great-great grandfather's grave. A small part of Oak Grove is a Confederate section containing the graves of 129 CSA soldiers who were guards and who had died of diseases at the infamous Andersonville Prison which is 10 miles away. They were originally buried at the prison camp but in 1880 a local ladies society had them transferred to Oak Grove.
The Andersonville National Historic Site also includes the American Prisoners of War Museum and a national cemetery where most of the Union prisoners who died there were buried. Like any national cemetery other military persons are also buried there.
Its neat that you have found some of our family. It would be cool if you could find out more about mama's side.
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