Rose Hill Cemetery Master Plan

ROSE HIL L

CEMETERY

MASTER

PLAN

ROSE HIL L

CEMETERY

MASTER PLAN

REPORT | JANUARY 2022

ROSE HIL L

CEMETERY

MASTER

PLAN

ROSE HIL L

CEMETERY

MASTER PLAN

REPORT | JANUARY 2022

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A special thanks to all the other partners, interviewees, and workshop and survey participants for their input.

STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE

Mandi Cody Beth Reynolds Maddison Dean Becky White Clint Cannon B-Bomb Smith Holt Persinger Lonnie Carter Kathy White Beth Kennedy Carol Ann Grealish Nannette Kallestad Saralyn Pope Moore Gwen Rice Patricia Stallings Ray ‘‘Butch’’ Kennedy Amber Mason Askew

Mayor David Maynard

CITY COUNCIL

Sonny Morris, Ward 1 Kobi Kilgore, Ward 2 Jimmy Terrell, Ward 3 Travis Singley, Ward 4 Chris Akins, At-Large Shannon Hammond, At-Large

CITY OF WINDER

Mandi Cody, City Administrator Maddison Dean, Director of Economic Development Beth Reynolds, GIS & Special Projects Manager

PLANNING TEAM

POND & COMPANY

Andrew Kohr, PLA, ASLA, Project Manager Aubrey Sabba, PLA, ASLA, Landscape Architect Roger Bledsoe, Landscape Designer

HISTORIC OAKLAND FOUNDATION

Neale Nickels Todd Cregar

This plan is a result of the community’s collaborative efforts to envision the future of Rose Hill Cemetery, including contributions from community members, the Stakeholder Committee, elected officials, City staff, and the planning team:

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Overview and Regional Value Mission, Vision and Goals Management and Operations Public and Stakeholder Input

HISTORY OF ROSE HILL CEMETERY

Historic Context Land Accumulation Historic Significance and National Register Eligibility Future Research and Documentation

EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT

Surrounding Context and Land Use Spatial Orientation Landscape Character Natural Features General Asset Assessment Gravestone Typology Preservation Assessment and Methodology Opportunities and Challenges

A

PRESERVATION PLAN AND STRATEGIES

Preservation as a Living Practice Preservation at Rose Hill Cemetery Conducting Burial Site Assessments Recommended Treatments Recommended Costs

SITE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS

Overall Plan New Facilities and Features Phasing Prioritization and Cost Opinion

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Operations Partnerships Programming Action Plan

APPENDICES

Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Rose Hill Cemetery is a municipal-owned cemetery that covers approximately 26 acres dating to 1841 with more than 5,000 burials. The City of Winder manages the cemetery and has a desire to advance preservation and expansion of this local landmark located just northwest of downtown. The City closed the cemetery for several years to reconcile incomplete records so that future lot sales and burials can continue. This cemetery master plan will help the City to preserve, manage, and thoughtfully develop the cemetery for the next ten to twenty years.

OVERVIEW AND REGIONAL VALUE

Set on a picturesque hillside, Rose Hill Cemetery is an active cemetery with graves ranging from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The grounds historically provided opportunity for reflection, remembrance, passive recreation, and heritage tourism. The cemetery is within walking distance of downtown Winder, surrounded by residential neighborhoods, with two area schools within a mile of the site.

Rose Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for many of the City of Winder and Barrow County’s founders and early citizens. Winder, Barrow County’s county seat, was incorporated in 1893, so the cemetery also represents the history of the original Jackson County. The cemetery boasts a Revolutionary War soldier burial, Civil War burials, and many City mayor burials with an entrance that pays tribute to all Barrow County veterans.

Context Map N SCALE: NTS

Study Area Map

Legend Study area Historic district boundary Winder city limits Landmark

N SCALE: 1”:1,000’

0’ 500’ 1,000’ 2,000’

MISSION, VISION AND GOALS

A collective vision guided the planning process and identified what the community desires for the future of Rose Hill Cemetery. The mission defines the cemetery’s ‘who or what’ is important, and the cemetery’s purpose. Goals help align City management with the recommendations outlined in the master plan. After an initial site analysis and meeting with City staff, the team articulated and refined the mission and vision, and identified overarching goals.

Mission

Rose Hill Cemetery is a reverent historic burial ground that preserves and honors veterans and past residents of the City of Winder and Barrow County area, while engaging the public through appropriate programming, welcoming open space, and educational opportunities.

J To better connect the City and its residents with the cemetery and heighten the profile of the cemetery as a heritage tourism destination.

J To engage the public through appropriate programming and educational opportunities.

J To foster and improve upon the cemetery by elevating the park-like atmosphere of Rose Hill.

J To continue to capture and preserve the stories of Winder and the surrounding region.

J To establish funding and revenue income strategies for critical repairs, maintenance, and programming.

J To streamline and strengthen the cemetery’s management and operations procedures.

J To organize and clarify cemetery records and end the current moratorium on burials.

J Identify the cemetery’s significant features and clarify its historical significance.

J Establish recommendations for the preservation, enhancement, and appropriate development of the cemetery.

J Identify management tools and methods that the community can use to implement recommendations.

J Streamline the cemetery’s management and operations.

J Identify and strengthen key partnerships.

J Continue to organize and manage the cemetery’s records data within the City’s centralized database and identify the number of existing available lots and unmarked graves.

J To provide a searchable public map and database for the cemetery.

J To connect the cemetery to downtown, the public library and Winder schools through the City’s trail system.

J To encourage and enhance the use of the cemetery as a passive park.

Vision Goals The goals are a basis for the master plan document and recommendations. The master plan clarifies the unique qualities and attributes of Rose Hill Cemetery, provides a plan that preserves the characteristics, and articulates strategies for plan implementation.

MANAGEMENT AND

OPERATIONS

The City of Winder is the primary owner and steward of the cemetery since it was formally established in 1841. It manages the cemetery including maintenance and operations, sales and marketing, and interments. Winder is in Barrow County, within the State of Georgia. The following is an overview of governmental entities that affect the stewardship and preservation of the cemetery.

City of Winder The City of Winder owns Rose Hill Cemetery and is the trustee of cemetery funds per state law. The cemetery is zoned as G, Government/Institutional. Historic maintenance of the cemetery was required of the deed owners of plots, and this is a requirement per City ordinance today, however many plot owners are deceased or without claim to the cemetery deeds therefore maintenance falls to the City. One other general code requirement limits the height of fences around cemeteries to six feet (Sec.3-21).

Today the City manages the cemetery through four departments: the Planning Department, the GIS Department, the Finance Department, and Public Works. The GIS Department employs a GIS and Special Projects Manager, an office assistant and outsources burial and cemetery maintenance to a management company.

Maintenance costs and staff are paid by money earned through cemetery services, an existing memorial fund, and funds from the City’s general account.

Plot sales, opening and closing of cemetery plots, and general landscape maintenance are managed by ESG Operations, Inc. who is employed by the City of Winder. ESG ensures that funds for sales are transferred to the City, deeds are properly applied for and recorded, work orders for opening and closing are scheduled and communicated with Master Grave Service (a grave and vault company), and burial permits are applied for and issued.

Laws, Policies, Standards and Guidelines Decisions made at the staff, City, and regional level impact the long-term preservation and sustainability of the cemetery’s landscape. The federal government has previously established accepted guidelines on the treatment of cultural landscapes. Although Rose Hill Cemetery is under local ownership, these standards serve as best practices. In addition, Georgia state law identifies the process to address abandoned burials. This is applicable to Rose Hill because many grave sites were technically owned “fee simple” but have many years no care was continued. These burials fall into a gray area, and the City has taken the lead to manage these spaces within the larger site. The following is an overview of these various laws and guidelines.

Secretary of Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes The document was created by the National Park Service to provide nationally accepted standards as how to best treat cultural landscapes such as Rose Hill Cemetery. Treatment considerations fall into four basic categories: Preservation, Restoration, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction. The use of this document is appropriate because Rose Hill is a historic landmark that requires preservation and maintenance approaches that are sensitive to the heritage of the site.

J City cemeteries set pricing by ordinance or resolution, city clerks must sign cemetery deeds and transfers of title deeds must be filed with the clerk.

J Owners of burial plots in a city cemetery must care and maintain for it.

J City cemeteries can only contain human remains.

J Burials must take place in a city public cemetery or licensed private cemetery.

J Walkways between lots in the cemetery may not be obstructed by monuments, walls or any object prohibiting passage between the lots.

J Any objects obstructing a walkway will be condemned, confiscated, and removed from the walkway.

J Persons traveling in a cemetery must utilize a street or walkway.

J It is against the law to disturb or deface graves, grave markers, walls, monuments, gravestones or objects utilized to mark graves; removal or destruction of trees, shrubs or plants is also against the law.

J The cemetery is open from sunrise to sunset and the public is not allowed to be on the premises after dark.

J City councils may set fixed prices for grave sites and openings, and can update them as needed.

J A permit is required to place objects such as markers, slabs, shrubs or trees in the cemetery.

J Lots may not be enclosed without a permit and written permission from the City.

J Human remains must be placed in a coffin, and a coffin in a sealed vault.

State of Georgia Ordinances The City is required to comply with the state of Georgia’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22 outlines the law as it pertains to cemeteries and includes regulations on the following:

Abandoned Burial Plots In the event of unused, abandoned burial plots, state law dictates procedures. If all efforts to locate the legal owners or the heirs fail, there is a legal process by which ownership of unused, abandoned lots can be transferred to another entity, such as the City of Winder, but it involves complicated and often protracted legal proceedings. If the City chooses to reclaim unused spaces, Georgia state law discusses forfeiture of abandoned cemetery lots, proceedings necessary for reclamation, subsequent sale, and disposition of the proceeds.

J Protect the City from losses due to vandalism.

J Define lot and plot sizes.

J Describe when maintenance can be completed and who the city can employ for maintenance.

J Outline the process for purchasing lots, deed recording and transfer of deeds.

J Clarify it is against the law to sell grave lots for personal or business gain.

J Permit the city to rename sections of the cemetery or change the plats by vote of council.

J Define the rules for the burial of paupers.

J Allow the city to approve burial receptacles.

Barrow County Joint Comprehensive Plan Update, 2018 This is a joint comprehensive plan for Barrow County and the municipalities of Bethlehem, Carl, Statham, and Winder. The plan contains updates to the land use for Barrow County and the City of Winder.

Several goals of the plan pertain directly to the cemetery, including SED 2.5 and SED 2.7, and RC

2.1. SED 2.5 and 2.7 relate to updating the Parks

and Recreation Master Plan and Trail Facilities Plan.

Resource conservation (RC) goals ranked highly in the community survey and RC goal two focuses on the preservation of historic structures and sites.

Strategies this overarching goal includes are the adoption of a historic preservation ordinance (RC 2.1) that would authorize designating local historic districts, creating a Historic Preservation Commission, and developing design guidelines. These goals could potentially oversee the designation or expansion of a local historic district to include Rose Hill, the creation of a Historic Preservation Commission and design guidelines that could potentially provide oversight towards preservation efforts and changes in the cemetery.

Cemetery Rules The city cemetery ordinance mirrors the state ordinance and expands upon it. The rules contain clauses that:

Cemetery Covenants, Restrictions and Section Policies The covenants and restrictions for the cemetery outline additional rules beyond the City ordinance. Most are standard and dictate requirements like grave covering materials, materials of grave markers, cemetery hours, maintenance expectations, and timeframe for funeral notification. There is one requirement for special consideration in this master plan:

J There shall be interred only the remains of one (1) human being in each of the grave spaces.

Limiting remains to one person per grave space restricts the ability of the City to allow for multiple interments per grave space in the event of a person or family’s desire to have multiple burials of cremains.

Many cemeteries allow up to four human cremains per grave space. See Chapter 6, Management Strategies and Recommendations, for recommended guidance on this subject.

In addition to the covenants and restrictions, there are additional policies for the three active cemetery sections including the Veterans Section, the Garden of Everlasting Life, and the Pauper’s Section.

J The policy for the Veterans Section outlines eligibility, grave space and size, allowance of spouse burial, monument style and type per the Veterans Administration or approved by the City, monument setting expectations, grave covering material, and burial flags.

J The Garden of Everlasting Life burial policy limits the sale of specific plots as identified on the plat: “The grave spaces are as numbered upon the “typical block” hereon as to all lots in each section and they may not thereafter be further subdivided. This restriction does not apply to Lots 31-36 of Section D nor to Lots 31-32 of Section C, wherein individual grave spaces may be purchased.” The policy also outlines the placement of family monuments.

J The Pauper’s Section (Section T and Section B of ELL) policy outlines that to be eligible for Pauper burial the deceased must have been a resident of Winder for a minimum of 12 months. If a long-time resident of Winder passes away in a nursing home in another location that person may be considered but only on a case-by-case basis. The family of the deceased must prove they do not have the funds for interment. If the individual meets the policy criteria the City will provide a grave space at no charge.

PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT

Master plans are most effectively executed when there are opportunities for the public and stakeholders to engage and provide feedback. To ensure the long-term preservation and sustainability of Rose Hill Cemetery, the City of Winder needs to continually engage stakeholders in the process. This provides citizens and interested parties the opportunity to participate in shaping the future of a regional landmark worthy of preservation.

The planning team held four distinct engagement activities with stakeholders and the public.

Stakeholder Meeting 1. On April 29, 2021, the planning team met with multiple stakeholders held during a day-long workshop to gather input about the cemetery.

These included funeral home directors, City staff, and residents who were interested in Rose Hill’s history. Key takeaways included:

Winder Downtown Plan Design Workshop

J The cemetery needs to reopen and accept new burials and lot sales.

J A better system for gravesite openings and burials is needed.

J Maintenance could be streamlined or brought in-house.

J The Veterans Section is growing in popularity and will need to expand.

J Columbaria are needed to account for cremated remains.

J The origins of the name “Rose Hill” are unclear and there is little documentation about its early history.

Public Open House. A three-day open house was conducted jointly with the Winder Downtown Plan Design Workshop held at the Winder Community center from May 11 to May 13, 2021. Image preference boards were displayed at the workshop in the Winder Community Center during the duration of the design workshop, to capture community feedback about the cemetery and potential improvements. There was generally positive feedback for the proposed improvements with strong preference for enhancing and improving the Veterans Section and adding parking. The idea of a new visitor chapel and entry for the cemetery was well received. Revisions included adding a hearse turnaround.

Public feedback is captured in a dot exercise for the plan elements and regarding preferred imagery of improvements. These preferences are illustrated in the accompanying graphics, showing where dots were placed for preferred improvements.

Site Tours. Concurrent to the open house City staff and the planning team were available to provide tours, answer questions about the cemetery, and provide feedback. These were held during the evening of May 12 and the evening of May 13.

Initial separate presentations to a stakeholder group and City Council gave an overview of the master plan process and work to date. After the team refined the work incorporating feedback from the public, stakeholders and Council, the project team presented at a second stakeholder group and Council work session to provide an update. The team presented the final document, followed by City Council adopting the master plan on December 16, 2021.

MAY

JULY

AUG

JUNE

STAKEHOLDER MEETING #1

Public Engagement Timeline

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE SITE TOURS

NOV

OCT

SEPT

DEC

APR

STAKEHOLDER MEETING #2

COUNCIL PRESENTATION + ADOPTION

CITY SEEKS

PUBLIC INPUT

CONCERNING

HISTORIC

RESOURCES

ABOUT ROSE

HILL CMEETERY

columbaria gardenchapel / columbaria memorial art / columbaria 17.8% 24.3%

11.2%17.8% entry / signage

Participants at the public open house events were invited to place a dot next to the ideas they liked. The most popular ideas were:

J Veterans memorial area and lawn with flags flanked by head in parking. Approximately 40 spaces.

J New entry area and drive entry (through building arch).

J Scattering garden with contemplative walking path and memorial rocks.

J Native forest garden with contemplative walking path and memorial benches.

J Memorial rose arbor with seating.

J Contemplative shade path inside forest edge (with cleared understory for visibility.

Participants were also invited to place up to 6 six dots next to potential cemetery additions they would most like to see. The four images represent the most popular additions.

Dot DiagramDot Diagram contemplative space and smaller columbaria spaces nature trail contemplative space and smaller columbaria spaces

N SCALE: 1”:80’

0’ 40’ 80’ 160’

HISTORY

HISTORY OF ROSE HILL CEMETERY

Rose Hill’s history will be an ongoing project for City staff and historians as the master plan is implemented. This historic overview was developed from local resources, available historical documentation, and information provided by City staff. See the bibliography in the appendix for a complete list of historical resources.

HISTORIC CONTEXT

Rose Hill Cemetery is approximately one mile from downtown Winder, in what was once the countryside and a short travel distance along Candler Street from the City.

Set on a hill adjacent to a tributary of Cedar Creek, one can understand why residents of Jackson County and subsequently Winder and Barrow County held a fondness for this picturesque location.

The City of Winder has four national historic districts established:

J Broad Street Commercial Historic District, 1984/Downtown Winder Historic District (Boundary Increase), 1994

J Jackson Street Commercial Historic District, 1984

J North Broad Street Residential Historic District, 1984

J Athens-Candler Church Street National Register of Historic Places District, 1986

Each of these districts highlights significant features within the City of Winder including architecture and landscape architecture; they are places where local commerce, politics and government, transportation and social happenings took place. Rose Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for many of the individuals who built Winder, and lived out personal, professional, and social activities within the historic district areas and beyond.

Historic Context Map

Legend Study area Downtown Winder Historic District Boundary National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) Historic District Boundary Winder city limits Historic structure Key historic landmark N SCALE: 1”:1,000’

0’ 500’ 1,000’ 2,000’

Rose Hill Cemetery is mentioned in several resources including Beadland to Barrow compiled by the Barrow County Historical Society, documentation completed by the City of Winder for the cemetery, and research by the Barrow Preservation Society. Historic deeds and plats were also used to piece together the cemetery’s history and its development. General history of the City of Winder and Barrow County provides insight into the families and individuals that are laid to rest at Rose Hill.

Initial burials for the cemetery date to the mid-1800s. Several significant burials and events are highlighted in the Rose Hill Cemetery Welcome Letter and History:

J Bolling Wright, an American Revolutionary soldier who died in 1841 and was honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution who donated a marker for his grave in 1991.

J J.A. and J.D. Wright died in 1860 and are two of the cemetery’s earliest burials.

J Edna and Anea Page passed away in 1880, also representing early burials.

J Two large “pest houses” were constructed in the 1890s to early 1900s along with several cabins for the quarantine of citizens who contracted contagious diseases such as diphtheria, smallpox, and typhoid fever, and discontinued once vaccinations were required between 1917 and 1920.

J Confederate soldier Martin Van Buren Parkhurst was re-interred in the cemetery in 1907.

J In 1986 the City of Winder installed a monument honoring all veterans.

An individual whose history may provide some insights upon the development of the early cemetery is Charles Madison Ferguson, a granite mason, operator of the Flat Rock Quarry, chief builder, and general contractor for many of the masonry buildings in Winder, provider of mortuary services for Jug Tavern/Winder citizens, Fire Chief, and Mayor in 1932. Given Ferguson’s expertise in granite masonry and the additional occupation of mortuary service provider, it may be possible that he was instrumental in many of the original granite headstones and markers found in the cemetery today.

Beadland to Barrow mentions the construction of pest houses in the cemetery in the early eighteenth century prior to the use of vaccinations. Two large, segregated pest houses and several cabins were later reinterred in 1907, in Rose Hill Cemetery. The City of Winder donated the cemetery lot, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy provided an “Unknown Confederate Soldier” marker. This soldier was identified in 1970 as Martin Van Buren Parkhurst, due to the efforts of a descendant, Christine Parkhurst Curruth, and a local townsperson, Mrs. C.

Fred Ingram, who exchanged letters that examined archival research performed by the two women.

Their work was verified by local historian Colonel Richard N. Fickett, III. The confederate’s death was a result of a battle between the “Stoneman’s Raiders” returning to Sherman’s headquarters and a group of approximately one hundred rebel cavalrymen on August 3, 1964 according to Beadland to Barrow.

constructed at the back of Rose Hill Cemetery to quarantine members of the community who contracted contagious diseases such as diphtheria, typhoid fever, and smallpox. The police rounded up contagious persons in wagons and brought them to the pest houses where they were tended to by the City’s doctors. Once vaccinations became required between 1917 and 1920, the use of the houses was discontinued. These buildings were demolished but offer insight into how areas around the cemetery were used during the Spanish Flu which also speaks to the cemetery’s perceived safe distance from the City.

The story of a confederate soldier’s reinterment is also of interest. An unidentified confederate soldier buried on the property of Mr. King was

L a t e 1 7 0 0 s 1 8 9 8 Winder Cotton Mill The Winder Cotton Mill was built and took part in Winder’s notable past as “Work Clothes Capital of the World”

1 9 3 3

1 9 1 4

White Settlers Arrived White settlers arrived to the Native Amerian (Creek and Cherokee) trade settlement of Snodon. 3

1 7 9 2 Fort Yargo Established Fort Yargo was initially developed to protect the area from Creek Indian attacks. 3

Brandon/Jug Tavern Incorporated The site of Winder is the original location of the Native American settlement called Snodon. After the arrival of white settlers, the name changed from Snodon, to Jug, Jug Tavern, and briefly Brandon, back to Jug Tavern and then Winder in 1893. 3

1 8 9 3 Name changed to Winder Winder is incorporated and named to honor the president of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad John H. Winder, from Raleigh, N.C when the railroad was constructed through the area, incentivized by citizens offering 16 acres for the tracks to come through the town. 1,3

1 9 2 0 Barrow County Courthouse Constructed The Barrow County courthouse is constructed in Winder, now listed under the National Register of Historic Places. 4

First Doctor’s Day Observance This observance began in Winder on March 28, 1933. The Georgia State Medical Alliance adopted the observance in 1934 and in 1935 it was also instated by the Southern Medical Association Alliance. 2

Barrow County was carved out of Gwinnett, Jackson, and Walton Counties.

1 8 8 4

1 9 2 8 Maybard Family Estate Cemetery Road was sold by M.R.

Maynard to the City of Winder for $56 dollars.

1 9 1 8 W.B. Mathews donated the land now known as Tavia Mathews Park to the City of Winder, to be used perpetually as a park.

1 9 6 7 Fort Yargo became a Georgia State Park

2 0 2 0

Eberhart Parcel Mr. Clifford Eberhart sold a three-eighths acre parcel of land adjoining the Mary Davis parcel to the south, to the City of Winder.

2 0 0 6

Outz Family Plot The plot is bounded to the southeast and southwest by J. Guy Ouzts Estate and to the northwest by a 12-foot cemetery drive and Rose Hill Cemetery. The grave spaces are 5 feet by 15 feet.

All but two of the grave sites are sold.

1 9 8 0 Mary Davis Parcel The parcel identified as ‘Mary Davis’ on the September 1980 survey by Robert T. Black and Associates was sold by Richard Heard to the City of Winder for $9000. The plot is in the southerly portion of the cemetery, south of Tavia Mathews Park and west of Melrose Street. The land, at 0.28 acres, accommodated 120 grave plots.

1 9 8 6 Colonel Herbert R. Watson was the first veteran to be interred in the Veterans Section.

1 9 7 0 The original design for the Garden of Everlasting Life was filed and recorded.

1 9 8 5 Former Cannery Property A quit-claim deed shows a sale from the County to the City of Winder of a part of the former cannery property for $1.00.

1 9 5 3 Alvin R. Sammon sold lots 27 and 28 (previously P.M. Stovall property) to the City of Winder.

LAND ACCUMULATION

The development and layout of Rose Hill Cemetery grew over time with land sold by citizens to the City of Winder. While there are no known original plats of the cemetery available, deeds, transfers and maps give clues regarding the addition of land around the original cemetery, helping to distinguish the newer sections.

Additionally, Jackson County records may provide more information on the cemetery origins. The older part of the cemetery includes sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, A, B, C, D, E, F, FG, G, H, I, J, K, L and M. One of the first known additions was a donation of land consisting of seven acres was sold by J. S. Settle on February 28, 1903 for $290. The following table is a listing of known deeds documenting land sold or donated to the City of Winder and includes the deed date, original owner, and cost of the sale if indicated.

Date Owner Cost Feb. 28, 1903 J.S. Settle $290

June 13, 1907 W.H. Quarterman $80

Mar. 25, 1912 W.H. Quarterman $10

Nov. 18, 1918 W.B. Mathews $1.00

Nov. 4, 1926 N.J. Kelley $650

Dec. 7, 1926 E.O. McElroy, Chief of Police and Marshal $51.66

Sept. 3, 1928 M.R. Maynard $68

Dec. 12, 1928 M.R. Maynard $56

Oct. 24, 1941 Mrs. Irene Maynard Johnson $530

March 17, 1953 Alvin R. Sammon $1750

Nov. 1, 1971 Richard L. Heard, Mary Gray $10

Sept. 24, 1975 Slater, Simmons, Teasley, Smith, Dotson, Hosch, Wingfield, Wingfield, Reed, and Smith

$1.00

Sept. 1, 1983 Claude Gray $10

July 25, 1985 Barrow County Board of Commissioners N/A

Dec. 23, 1999 Richard B. Russell, III $8000

Feb. 13, 2001 Richard L. Heard $9000

June 21, 2006 Clifford H. Eberhart $10

The following sections highlight information on parcels of land that were added in more recent history.

Tavia Mathews Park W.B. Mathews, on November 18, 1918, donated the land now known as Tavia Mathews Park to the City of Winder, to be used perpetually as a park. In a letter dated September 3, 1918 to the Mayor and Council of the City of Winder, W.B.

Mathews explains his desire to donate land for the City’s perpetual use to prevent development across from his grave plot. He required the name Tavia Mathews Park and for the City to deed a ten-foot strip of land to himself and other lot owners on the west side of the walkway between those lots and the eastern boundary of the cemetery and that the City maintain a 25-foot street to adjoin the eastern boundary and connect to the lands of R.D. Moore. On September 23, 1918, Mayor House and Council passed a resolution for the gift of land from W.B.

Mathews. Today the land remains as open space.

Maynard Family Estate Much of the land around the cemetery and to the south was owned by the Maynard family with portions of the land sold to the City of Winder over time.

A portion of the Maynard Jr. estate was subdivided in as Town Center, with the sale of Lot 6 to the City of Winder. Cemetery Road was sold by M.R. Maynard to the City of Winder for $56 dollars on December 12, 1928. On October 24 of 1941, Mrs. Irene Maynard Johnson, living in Fulton County, sold a tract of land off Candler Street for $530.00.

Sammon/Stovall Property On March 17, 1953, Alvin R. Sammon sold lots 27 and 28 (previously P.M. Stovall property) to the City of Winder. The deed survey illustrates the location of the lots just southwest of W. Candler Street, and bordered to the west by the Norton Property, of which the property line generally follows a north south alignment.

This geometry aligns with the curvature of the northernmost entry road off Candler and may be the reason for the location and layout of the road layout and entry.

Additionally, a row of 16 subdivided parcels is along Candler Street where the existing meadow is, potentially explaining the location of the interior cemetery road that is parallel to Candler.

Former Cannery Property A quit-claim deed from July 25th, 1985, between the Barrow County, Georgia Board of Commissioners and the City of Winder sold a part of the former cannery property for $1.00 from the County to the City. The cannery was used by local gardeners and citizens to can homegrown produce, according to Beadland to Barrow. “Said property is the same property upon which a part of the old Cannery was located and facing Candler Street 306.97 feet with its southern-most boundary being 177.62 feet to an iron pin and then following the curvature of a paved road as shown on said plat going in a north and northeasterly direction back to a point on Candler Street.” Multiple people have indicated the cannery was located north of the main entrance near Candler Street.

Garden of Everlasting Life The original design for the Garden of Everlasting Life, was filed and recorded on April 28, 1970. The plat was surveyed by W. T. Dunahoo of Winder. The design consists of eight-foot walks in a cross shape bounded by an existing paved street, an existing dirt street and two proposed streets. Interstitial walks between graves are noted as four-feet wide. In the center of the space is a proposed fountain or statue. Individual grave spaces are four feet by twelve feet, facing east.

Veterans Section The layout and design consist of a concrete half circle and two walks intersecting with the half circle at an angle. The walk layout crosses grave plots at an angle preventing the use of many spaces. A large portion of the graves are occupied, and the section includes one unknown soldier.

According to a letter from Harold Newton Waddell, Sr. on August 10, 1986, Colonel Herbert R. Watson was the first veteran to be interred in the Veterans Section. The letter states, “Having known Colonel Watson for many years, and being aware of his high regard for and devotion to the people of Winder, I believe he would have considered this action on your part as one of the greatest honors that could have been bestowed upon him by your City.”

Heard Deed of Mary Davis Parcel The parcel identified as ‘Mary Davis’ on the September 1980 survey by Robert T. Black and Associates was sold by Richard Heard to the City of Winder for $9000. The plot is in the southerly portion of the cemetery, south of Tavia Mathews Park and west of Melrose Street. The land, at 0.28 acres, accommodated 120 grave plots.

2006, Eberhart Parcel Mr. Clifford Eberhart sold a three-eighths acre parcel of land adjoining the Mary Davis parcel to the south, to the City of Winder on June 21, 2006.

2020, Ouzts Family Plot A survey of the Ouzts Family Plot, located to the south of Tavia Mathews Park is dated April 17, 2020. The area is approximately 30’ by 44’ and has a central four-foot-wide walk that runs northwest to southeast.

The plot is bounded to the southeast and southwest by J. Guy Ouzts Estate and to the northwest by a twelve-foot cemetery drive and Rose Hill Cemetery.

The grave spaces are five feet by fifteen feet. All but two of the grave sites are sold.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

AND NATIONAL REGISTER

ELIGIBILITY

Historical significance is measured through the lens of the National Register of Historical Places, administered by the National Park Service. Cemeteries are eligible on the National Register provided they meet two levels of criteria, primary criteria, and criteria considerations. There are four primary criteria, listed in the following table that indicates the criteria and what it measures, and the likeliness of Rose Hill Cemetery meeting that criteria:

National Register Primary Criteria

There are seven criteria considerations, A through G, that are listed in the following table which help further clarify potential eligibility for cemeteries.

National Register Criteria Considerations

Primary Criteria Description

Likeliness of Meeting

Criteria

A Properties associated with events of significance. Unlikely

B Properties associated with lives/person(s) of significance.

Possibly

C Properties associated with architecture of significance.

Unlikely

D Archaeology associated with historic/pre-historic sites of significance.

Unlikely

Primary Criterion B: Properties may be eligible for the National Register if they are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past (Boland 11).

Rose Hill Cemetery is the primary extant burial grounds for the citizens of Winder and the surrounding Barrow County and represents residents from diverse backgrounds who contributed to the economic, social, political, and religious life of the City. Many of the early and founding citizens of Winder were critical in the establishment of the City and success of the region. Veterans and casualties of all the major wars in United States history are interred at Rose Hill Cemetery. Of note are individuals interred from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

Rose Hill is most likely able to meet Criterion Consideration D, and could possibly meet Criterion Consideration C.

Criteria Consideration C: A birthplace or grave of a historical figure is eligible if the person is of outstanding importance and if there is no other appropriate site or building directly associated with his or her productive life (Boland, 16).

Criteria Consideration Description Likeliness of

Meeting Criteria

A Religious properties deriving significance from architectural/artistic distinction or historical importance.

Unlikely

B Relocated properties deriving significance from architectural value or surviving structure associated with a historic person/event.

Unlikely

C Birthplace or grave (individual) of a historical figure.

Possibly

D

Collective burial place deriving primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events.

Most Likely

E Reconstructed property. Unlikely

F Direct association with events or specific artistic quality.

Unlikely

G Property achieving significance within the last 50 years.

Unlikely

Several historical figures of outstanding importance are interred at Rose Hill with potentially no known existing structure that may have been a residence, place of business or professional headquarters. The National Register Bulletin 41, Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places describes a historical figure of outstanding importance as “one whose contributions to local, State, or national history were truly extraordinary. The accomplishments of such a person must stand out in kind and degree from those of others active at a comparable level in the same field and during the same period of time,” (Boland 16).

Criteria Consideration D: A cemetery is eligible if it derives its primary significance from graves of person of transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events (Boland, 16).

Rose Hill is a historic cemetery and the final resting place of persons of outstanding importance to the course of events in Winder and the State of Georgia. The cemetery also his strong associations with the community’s establishment.

In summary, the City has the ability to individually nominate Rose Hill Cemetery or expand the boundaries of the Athens-Candler-Church Street Historic District to incorporate the cemetery. While no protection is extended to the cemetery with this designation, it does symbolize the importance of the landmark to the community.

FUTURE RESEARCH AND

DOCUMENTATION

The historical documentation in this master plan offers only a glimpse into the historic context of Rose Hill Cemetery, and the stories of the individuals buried there. Much of the early history of the cemetery is unwritten, undocumented, or lost. It is necessary to become diligent in the collection of additional data and research, and local historical groups may provide assistance with this significant task. Areas for future research include historic photos, individual histories, and living history.

Historic Photos There are no known historic photos of the cemetery and limited documentation of persons buried in the cemetery. Requesting and collecting photos of the cemetery and those burials from the community can help build this important resource. City staff made public inquiries for photographs with some success. Much of what the City received to date is information on specific individuals but no specific information on Rose Hill. City staff may choose to, at appropriate intervals or associated with cemetery events, to renew the request. Requesting and collecting photos from descendants of the interred to establish a visual archive both physically and digitally may apply more to the individuals buried at the cemetery.

Reaching out to individuals in Jackson County, the cemetery’s original jurisdiction, and researching the county archives may also help fill in gaps.

Individual Histories There are many individuals interred at Rose Hill who had significant impact on the history of the surrounding region. Efforts to document these individuals’ history would further build documentation of the cemetery and its strong connection to the City of Winder. Telling the stories of individuals and families of Winder helps cemetery visitors to relate the names on headstones to a vibrant past.

The Barrow County Preservation Society has an extensive script for individuals interred in Rose Hill Cemetery called “Spirits Tours”. The scripts are detailed and full of historical information developed to support group fundraisers. Documenting these stories is a place to start building a more formal program for documentation, interpretation, and storytelling. Tours are an excellent way to bring the historic figures to life and the Preservation Society did an excellent job developing content and establishing tours in the cemetery. Other ways to document histories is to build a database of stories that the public can search to learn about the people of Winder’s past. This would be an excellent resource for education and could be completed in partnership with the Preservation Society, the Barrow County Museum, the public library, and the school district. As the database is developed, QR codes can be installed at individual gravestones to link to a website with the information or an audio tour that people can listen to on self-guided tours.

Barrow County Preservation Society existing tour scripts, individuals, and themes:

Person Dates* Section Buried Theme Notes James Isaac Joseph Bell 1847-1921 5 Local industry

Laura Emily Latimer Bush 6 Early history Mrs. Bush’s Specific

Wiley Bush 6 Early history Early founder

Charles M. Ferguson 5 Early history

Willie Mae Sheats Brown 1897-1981 6 Early history, military First woman in GA to join Navy

Sherriff H.O. Camp 1880-1950 2 Local leaders

Henry Clay Camp Jr. H Military Killed in Korean War

Annie Carrington Garner 1891- Local history, military

Reba Garner Hill 1913- E Early history

Robert Alexander Hill, Jr. 1916- E Military First pilot in Barrow County

William Clair Harris 1901-1973 H Early industry

William Morgan Holsenbeck J/L Local leaders Early school superintendent

Edith House 1903 1 Local leaders First female law graduate UGA

Ludger Lanthier 1914-1998 K Local leaders

Anita Sims McElhannon 1897-2000 I Military mother All four sons served in WWII

Thomas A. Maynard 1862- 2 Local leader Early mayor

Martin Van Buren Parkhurst 1845- US flag/plaque Military Re-interred Confederate soldier

Mary Brumby Quarterman 1

Hiram Nixon “Nick” Rainey, Jr. 1879-1921 6 Early history

James P. Rainey 1860-1934 B Local history Unusual headstone/millstone

Evelyn Patrick Randolph 1908-2010 5 General history, military

John William Robinson 1903- M Local industry

Eunice Collier “Mrs. WY” Smith 1897-2000 F Industry

George W. Summerour 1891-1969 J/L Local industry

Colleen Ouzts Williams 1927- Ouzts Local history, military Winder’s first drama teacher

George Washington Woodruff 1874- H Local industry

*birth and death dates. If not listed, the dates were not included in the Spirits Tour.

Oral Histories Much of the history of the community is documented, however much remains unwritten and needs to be documented and captured so it is not lost to future generations. A key recommendation is for the Winder Historic Preservation Commission and the Barrow Preservation Society to assist in developing and beginning a process of discovering these oral and unwritten histories. This process would involve research, development of an archive, and consideration of how to communicate these stories and provide public access to collected research.

Partnering with the University of Georgia or other higher education institutions may be one avenue to collect oral histories.

Relevance Documenting the cemetery’s development patterns and history is foundational to understanding the origins of Barrow County, Winder, and the surrounding region. Walking through the cemetery and observing the names, dates and each unique marker or headstone is a window into the past and the lives that occupied it. Documenting the history formally will lay a solid foundation for future programming and interpretation, as well as the identification of gaps in the history that need further research.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT

This chapter assesses the existing site conditions of Rose Hill Cemetery including surrounding context and land use, spatial orientation, landscape character, natural features, cemetery assets, and gravestone typology. In addition, this chapter presents a methodology for individual burial site assessment. The end of the chapter provides an analysis of the opportunities and challenges for the cemetery.

SURROUNDING CONTEXT AND LAND USE

The surrounding context and land-uses around Rose Hill Cemetery provide an understanding of the existing physical context and connectivity to the site and what types of organizations and institutions may support or partner with the cemetery due to physical location, potential stakeholder partnerships, and aligned missions such as education.

Context Rose Hill Cemetery is located one mile to the northwest of downtown Winder and lies approximately two miles to the north of Fort Yargo State Park. Winder-Barrow High School, the Winder Public Library, the Center for Innovative Teaching, and the Barrow Board of Education are within a quarter-mile radius. The Barrow County Museum, downtown Winder, Richard B. Russell Jr. Middle School, and Winder Elementary School are within a half-mile radius. The cemetery is bound on the northeast by W.

Candler Street, to the west and southeast by a tributary to Cedar Creek, and to the south and east by a single-family residential neighborhood.

Connectivity Major vehicular corridors around the cemetery include the three lane Georgia Highway 211/W. Athens Street running south of the cemetery from the northwest and connecting into downtown Winder. McNeal Road is a three-lane road to the west of the cemetery that connects W. Candler Street to W. Athens Street. W. Candler Street, a two-lane road, runs along the northeastern side of the cemetery. Candler Street is the primary route for visitors to the cemetery. As part of Winder’s recently adopted downtown master plan, a proposed multi-use sidepath links Winder-Barrow High School to the historic core of the city. This proposed sidepath also provides increased connectivity for the cemetery. A secondary access into the cemetery is Melrose Street, which ultimately dead ends into W. Candler Street southeast of the cemetery. As a residential street it provides localized access to the cemetery.

Context Map

Legend Cemetery boundary Parcel boundary Tributary to Cedar Creek Walking radius Railroad Road School Church Lake/Pond Municipal Park Winder city limits

N SCALE: 1” : 2,500’

0’ 2,500’ 5,000’

Land Use The cemetery is surrounded by a variety of land uses including single-family homes, multi-family residential apartments/duplexes, commercial businesses, a church, and multiple educational facilities. The Rose Hill Apartments are situated along the northwestern boundary of the cemetery with access off W. Candler Street. To the northwest of Rose Hill Apartments is single-family homes opposite the First Presbyterian Church. A large undeveloped, wooded lot is to the southeast of the church and directly across the street from the cemetery. Duplexes line Sweet Gum Lane to the south of the site. On the west side of the tributary to Cedar Creek is a mix of single-family homes, and small apartment buildings including the Winder Villas and Pine Creek Apartments. At the intersection of McNeal Road and W. Athens Street is a strip mall mixed-use commercial area that includes a church, an auto service business, a cycle shop, a Barrow County School System building, a laboratory, an inn, a gas station, an antique store, and an assisted living center.

Winder Barrow High School, Richard B. Russel Jr. Middle School and Winder Elementary School are all located around the intersection of McNeal Road and W. Candler Street. Melrose Street directly links the cemetery to more older homes that have been rental properties in recent years.

SPATIAL ORIENTATION

Rose Hill Cemetery incorporates a grid layout adapted to topographical and hydrological features. In early 2021, the City of Winder had a survey of the cemetery completed to assist in the master planning process. This information is utilized along with City provided GIS data to reflect as-built infrastructure and cemetery features.

Layout Melrose Street forms the datum for the grid layout of Rose Hill Cemetery running northwest to southeast. Secondary, internal narrow roads reinforce the grid layout and are offset in a parallel and perpendicular fashion from Melrose Street.

Cemetery Street is an unofficial entrance at the northeast corner of the cemetery; it intersects with W. Candler Street at the northeast corner and Melrose Street to the west. A single entrance from W. Candler Street intersects a diagonal road forming the eastern boundary of the cemetery proper.