DEKALB COUNTY, Ga.,None — Neighbors who live near an abandoned graveyard at the corner of Dove Valley Way and Porter Road in Decatur say the neglect has gone on too long.
They want to know whos responsible.
From the street, it just looks like an overgrown empty lot, but if you look closely, you can see dozens of graves, some dating back to the 1800s.
Weve got one grave over here thats partially dug up, neighbor Derik Rinehart pointed out. Theres some other spots that have no head stones on them at all. Theres head stones that are knocked over.
Some plots have no markings at all.
Channel 2s Erin Coleman called the county and according to property records, the land belongs to Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. Its only about a mile away. By phone, a deacon said the church is having severe financial problems. Theyre currently without a pastor, and the small congregation left had no idea the cemetery was their responsibility.
Its some history back there. I wish they would do something about it, neighbor Fallon Duncan said.
The story Ive heard is that a lot of the people who are buried there are descendants of the Porter family, Rinehart added. There was a slave family here, and when the slave owner died, he willed the land to the slaves instead of his own family.
Neighbors who live here just want to make sure this little piece of history is preserved. Rinehart said many in the community are willing to pitch in to restore the graveyard back to what it should be.
We can get the people resting here the respect they deserve, he said. Its heartbreaking I think is the biggest problem. Heartbreaking and its slightly terrifying at the same time.
WSBTV
