Historic Raleigh Cemetery Abandoned, Volunteers on Mission to Restore

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Armed with push-mowers, volunteers are trying to take back the Historic Raleigh Cemetery, they say was neglected to the point it looked like a jungle.

There are mostly children buried at the cemetery, along side people from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds...including a former Memphis mayor.
Over the years, it's been maintained by various groups...this time one group of volunteers is determined to clean it up, for good.

The headstone reads "gone but not forgotten." But Derek Kifer said it wasn't long ago, the Historic Raleigh Cemetery was forgotten and completely overrun with brush and weeds, some 20 feet high.

"It looked like a jungle it really did. It struck a chord with me, so much heritage and history here and it's absolutely forgotten about," said Kifer.

The cemetery does have a rich history. It dates back to the 1800's. Memphis' second mayor, Isaac Rawlings is buried here along with a Reverend, the founding Shelby family, masons and 5 brothers and sisters who died in October of 1878- believed to be victims of the yellow fever epidemic.

Kifer felt compelled to do something.

"Everybody knows how to push a mower and run a chainsaw so we got a group of us together," said Kifer.

Since March, Kifer has organized volunteers and worked with the Raleigh Community Council to reclaim three of the cemeteries 7 acres. Sunday, they were at it again, battling overgrowth that already took over last months work.

It's hard to keep up and it costs money. They've asked for help from local and state government.

"Not a lot of luck there, mostly out of pocket and mostly donations from people who follow our group," said Kifer.

Using push mowers and weed eaters Kifer's group tries to make a dent in the sprawling weeds and spruce up headstones.

"People over the years taking stones away, moved them, lost them, some are still underground."

The group said they find new headstones and graves every time they come out here. In fact Monday, FOX13 stumbled across a grave buried under dirt and debris. Once it was dusted off, we found it belongs to a 5-year old who died in 1837. It's one of the oldest stones here.

"It's disheartening, but time moves on, people forget we're trying to keep it alive."

Kifer said this isn't the only cemetery forgotten, he said he sees overgrown cemeteries throughout Shelby County.

"This is just one we're not going to let go like that," said Kifer.

The group will be back out at the cemetery in November. They say once the brush is knocked down it would take two riding lawnmowers twice a week to maintain, something they've vowed to do.

To help with the Raleigh Cemetery clean-up, contact Derek Kifer at tennesseeghost@hotmail.com or 901-562-2201.