INFORMATION FROM LARRY CAVER

Photos courtesy of Michele Washatka and Larry Caver

Editor’s Note: This group is seeking help from a Boy Scout from Autauga, Elmore or Montgomery needing an Eagle Scout Project. If you know someone who may be interested, please email larrycaverjr@yahoo.com, Mwashatka@hotmail.com or Ldavis5212@aol.com.

INFORMATION WANTED-

MCQUEEN PLACE CEMETERY (Whiting)

The owners of a parcel of land on US Hwy 31 South (across from Candlestick Park) made contact with local organizations a few years back regarding a black cemetery on their property. They wanted some group to clean and restore it. No locals took up the challenge. However, the request was brought to light again recently. A small group of concerned citizens are taking it upon ourselves to survey, clean, and restore this forgotten cemetery. We have received written permission from the property owners to proceed with the project.

This project is NOT sponsored by any local organization, just a group of concerned citizens.

Today we made an initial assessment. There are many graves at the site, both marked and unmarked. The graves date back to the early-1900s up to the most recent burial in 1980.

However, there is some oral tradition that it was the old slave cemetery on the hill, so we suspect that there are several generations buried there.

We are asking the local public for help. We need to make contact with anyone connected to families buried at McQueen Place (Whiting) Cemetery. Below is a partial list of some of the marked graves. Please feel free to share this with locals, churches, etc. We want to talk to people who have attended funerals there to learn more about the history of the cemetery. We also welcome locals connected to the cemetery to help with the project. Thank you. Larry Caver, Michele Washatka, Chris Smith Davis

BURIALS NOTED: