The Heritage Alliance is hosting a Summer Social in the Old Jonesborough Cemetery on Saturday, August 12^th from 6:00-8:00 pm. “It used to be a common thing for families and friends to gather in the cemetery and picnic, share stories of their loved ones, and relax,” shares Executive Director Anne Mason. “There was nothing odd about it. Cemeteries are sacred spaces, but they’re also public spaces, and we want people to come and tour the cemetery and learn more about the community they live in.”

Tour guides and people in period costume will be on hand to answer questions and share history from the Rocky Hill and College Hill cemeteries. Ice cream will be available for $2.00 a scoop courtesy of MOM’s Ice Cream with Munchies on Main. Ice cream sales will benefit the historic preservation of the cemeteries. You can also help hand crank your own ice cream for $2.00. Parking is available at the First Baptist Church located at 201 E Main Street in their side parking lot. There is no parking at the cemetery. The cemetery is a short walk up from the church parking lot. We’ll also have a golf cart shuttle available throughout the evening from the First Baptist Church parking lot.

During the evening, the Heritage Alliance will unveil a temporary marker honoring the victims of the 1873 cholera epidemic and marking the mass grave from that historic event. The mass grave was re-discovered this March by Heritage Alliance volunteer Gordon Edwards and Dr. Robert Jones with the Tilted Tavern Animal Sanctuary. They used ground-penetrating radar to locate the mass grave. The cholera epidemic moved through Jonesborough from mid-July to August of 1873, 150 years ago exactly. More information about the mass grave and the search to locate it will soon be included on the Heritage Alliance’s website at heritageall.org.

We hope you can join us on August 12^th for the Summer Social in the Cemetery.