Long-neglected oldest cemetery finally gets a public identity.

After more than 75 years of neglect, New Albany’s oldest cemetery now at least has a sign identifying it.

The sign marks the Old Zion Hill Primitive Baptist Church cemetery on Murrah Road.

The cemetery dates back to at least 1830, long before New Albany became a town, when there was a small settlement where Murrah Road and East Bankhead Street intersect.

The cemetery has a strange history, being abandoned, having all its monuments essentially thrown away, being part of an estate dispute and simply being ignored.

Lately, the Union County Heritage Museum has obtained a grant and part of that is being used to restore and preserve the long-overlooked cemetery.

The sign is temporary, until a nicer permanent and information about the cemetery history and those known to be interred there can be established.

Getting the sign was a major accomplishment, though, and the vegetation has been sprayed so the area can be cleaned down to the dirt. That’s in hope that some markers or other evidence may be found once the area is cleaned. One grave marker remains and some other stones have turned up as well.

Anyone who wants to help clean the cemetery or work with the preservation effort may call the Union County Heritage Museum because this will be a largely volunteer effort.

See the related story for more about the cemetery’s history.

https://newalbanyunionco.com/oldest-cemetery-getting-attention/