Date: May 26, 2000
Cemetery Name: Fairmont City Cemetery
Street: Maple Ave. and Baltimore St.
City: Fairmont
County: Marion County
State: West Virginia
Zip: 26554
Land Type: Private
Status: Abandoned
Number of graves: 200+
Oldest grave: abt. 1820
Records: Don't Know
Inventory: Yes
Owner: Inconclusive
Problem's
Cemetery about to be destroyed
Overgrown-trees
Overgrown-ground cover
Overgrown-vines
Broken Headstones
Buried Headstones
Disintegrating Headstones
Fallen Headstones
Removed Headstones
General Neglect
Location
Marion County Cemeteries WPA 1941 Public Library, West Virginia
University Library, West Virginia and Regional History Library
Description
Abandoned approximately 90 years. Badly overgrown. Headstones
fallen over, sunk, illegible, broken, damaged. Some stones intact.
Other Problems
The greatest threat is public apathy, ignorance, and
disconnectedness with the people buried here. Community underwent
demographic change so living community has little to do with it.
Previous Contacts
West Virginia University Office of Service Learning Kellogg grant
pending. Marion County Historical Society Marion County Genealogical
Society Marion County Historical Landmarks Commission 7th West
Virginia Reenactment Regiment (7 Civil War veterans) Fairmont
Community Development Partnership Main Street Fairmont Jackson
Addition Neighborhood Coalition General Public
Current Status
Group coming together to explore ways to reclaim, restore and
register cemetery as historic landmark. Grant funds pending, exploring
other avenues of funding, meeting to plan strategy, engage community
in effort.
Update - Feb 10, 2001
The City Cemetery Restoration Project was funded by the
W.K.
Kellogg Foundation through the West Virginia University Office of
Service Learning. We have conducted about seven clean-ups and are
beginning to see our way clear to restore the cemetery. We continue to
do historic research in the hope of finding information on the
cemetery itself and the people interred here. This is a collaborative
project with the Fairmont Community Development Partnership, Fairmont
State College, the City of Fairmont, and various public and private
organizations and individuals, especially students at WVU.
Update -
December 15, 2002
The Fairmont
City Cemetery Restoration Project is in its
third year of funding from the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation through the West Virginia University
Office of Service Learning. Site clearance is
about 25%. Eight stones have been restored.
Submitted by / Contact for additional Information
name: Gena Wagaman
Email: gwagaman@wvu.edu
