Saving Graves: Endangered Cemetery Report

Saving Graves

Lancaster Cemetery
Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County, North Carolina

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Date: May 3, 2001

Cemetery: Lancaster Cemetery
Established: unknown
Street: Springbrook Rd
City: Rocky Mount
Township: Township 12
County: Edgecombe County
State: North Carolina
Nation: USA
Zip: 27801
Nearby: Parker Middle School
Reached by: Crossing property-public
Location: Suburban-developed
Land: Flat
Water: No
Features: Trees, vines, massive undergrowth
Sign: No
Land Type: Public
Access: Open
Enclosure: Fence-Broken
Gate: None
Status: Abandoned
Size: Small
Unmarked graves: Yes
Gravestones: 13
Broken gravestones: Yes
Toppled gravestones: Yes
Buried gravestones: Yes
Removed Gravestones: Unknown
Weather problems: No
Pollution problems: Yes
Oldest grave: February 16, 1916
Newest grave: Approx. 1954
Association: No
Records: Unsure
Inventory: No
Records location:
Condition: Cemetery vandalized
Vandalized: Yes
Police report: No
VA: Gravestones-Overturned
VA: Gravestones-Broken
Overgrowth: Graves-Disturbing
Vegetation: Trees
Vegetation: Ground-Cover
Vegetation: Vines
Drainage: Good
Problem: Encroachment
Problem: Apathy
Work Status: Planning stages
Owner: Cemetery
Use:
Bordering: Educational
Change: Same
Visited: Unknown
Archeology: No
Contacted: Edgecombe Community College, East Carolina University Dept. of Archaeology, Tarboro Historical Society, Ward Sutton (cemetery restoration), Edgecombe County Library Historical Wing, North Carolina History and Archives

Other Information

The cemetery is currently used as a thoroughfare between a middle school/elementary school and an adjacent neighborhood. Many stones are small enough to be carried from the cemetery by vandals. There are 3 field stone markers which could easily be lost to vandals. Some stones have been moved from their original locations. The cemetery is described on record as a "Negro cemetery". Many of the individuals interred could have been slaves.

Support

Submitted by:

name: Keith A. Webb
Email: kawebb@hotmail.com