HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — A nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic cemeteries is raising concerns about a cemetery located near a massive data center project under construction in Henry County.
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The effort centers on the O’Neal AME Church cemetery on Lower Woolsey Road in Hampton. While the church itself has largely been overtaken by nature, dozens of graves remain in the wooded area across the street.
Many of the people buried there were African Americans born before, during and after the Civil War. Some of the headstones date back more than a century.
“January 1st 1864,” one inscription reads.
The nonprofit Honor Thy Roots, which focuses on cemetery preservation, said it discovered the site within the last two weeks.
“He died in 1911; he was 79 years old,” one member said while documenting the graves.
The group’s primary concern is not only the condition of the cemetery and its sunken graves but also its proximity to the Hampton Technology Park development. The more than 600-acre project is planned to include five data center buildings covering millions of square feet.
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“That’s a foot stone; this is (a) whole row of people,” one preservation advocate said while surveying the cemetery.
Honor Thy Roots founder Shawndrea Gay and co-founder Efaye Lloyd said many graves may not be clearly marked.
“These are graves and look how close we are,” Gay said.
The group worries construction activity may have already encroached on burial sites because the cemetery has never been formally mapped or scanned.
“There’s never been any type of survey on this land; no archeological data has been produced to show where the bodies are placed,” Lloyd said.
The organization, along with other concerned residents, attended this week’s Hampton City Council meeting to voice their concerns. However, the meeting was canceled because not enough council members were present.
Honor Thy Roots said it plans to return and continue advocating for preservation efforts, including ensuring cemetery boundaries are properly identified and protected.
“If anyone contacts us, we’re willing to talk and possibly work something out. We want to restore and preserve; that’s what we’re here for,” Gay said.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to an attorney representing the data center project and spoke with Hampton City Manager Alex Cohilas.
Cohilas said the property immediately behind the cemetery is where Georgia Power is building a new transfer station. He said discussions have taken place in recent days and that Georgia Power is willing to build a more permanent barrier and create an access point to the cemetery.
He also said the city is willing to work with preservation advocates, despite the cemetery being located on private property.
The preservation group said it hopes those efforts will help ensure the historic burial site is protected and that those buried there can continue to rest in peace.
The group has also launched a GoFundMe to help purchase grave monuments. Click here to donate.
For more information, click here.
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