Dale County cemetery placed on historic register

NEWTON, Ala.—Stories Altha Newman’s family had passed down about slaves buried in Newton’s Klondyke Community were transformed into reality after an unexpected discovery in the late 20th century.

Now, the family has chosen to share their treasure within Whispering Lakes Mobile Home Estates with all of Alabama. The Old Mount Zion Cemetery, with more than 200 graves of freed slaves and their kin, has been officially listed on the state’s Historic Cemetery Register.

It was the first in Dale County to be listed among the 237 cemeteries in the state, according to the Alabama Historical Commission.

“It’s been over 12 years since we (the Old Mount Zion Historical Cemetery Committee) began this project of restoring and preserving the burial site of our ancestors,” Newman said. “To be recognized as the very first cemetery in Dale County to be listed on the AHC Register is more than we expected. That has helped make it even more worthwhile.”

Newman said a cousin working on a new water line near the property rediscovered the cemetery in 1996. She said her family gained access to the cemetery in 2000.

The more research and cleaning, the more history the family uncovered. Buried among some of the mound graves is Newman’s great-great-grandmother Sarah, a freed slave who was brought to America when she was younger than 13.

Newman said the last burial in the cemetery was in 1954, one factor Lee Anne Wofford of the historical commission said could have contributed to its listing on the register.

“The cemetery has to be at least 40 years old to be considered, and then the person who is nominating the cemetery has to tell us why the cemetery’s important - some of the names included, what type of grave markers are there, and what the cemetery’s historic significance was within the community or town,” Wofford said.

“Every cemetery is unique and tells its own story, and there are literally thousands of cemeteries in Alabama that are definitely not on the register. A lot of times the cemetery is the only physical reminder there was ever a community there.”

Newman said the committee, made up of at least 10 members, has worked since the state register recognition to maintain funds to continue clearing brush and debris from the grave sites.

The committee also wants to erect a fence around the boundary of the cemetery and have workshops on repairing grave markers.

Newman said the goal is to raise at least $40,000 more for the projects than the $4,500 the committee has now.

The committee lost $10,000 in grant money during the time it fought to gain access, she said.

“We’re optimistic. We have had very good community support with this project,” she said. “It just means more fundraising.”

Whispering Lakes resident Mary Dumas said it would be interesting to see the cemetery fully restored.

“It’s really neat,” she said.