Cleanup planned at cemetery added to National Register

Land currently inaccessible to public

The Forrest City Colored Cemetery, located near Old Madison Road, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"The National Register is the country's official list of historically significant properties, and Arkansas can feel proud to have a large and growing representation of these tangible links to our past," Scott Kaufman, director of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, wrote in a letter to Forrest City Mayor Cedric Williams, who shared it during a meeting regarding the property.

According to the letter, properties on the National Register are eligible for tax credits if they are rehabilitated from income-producing purposes, and are eligible for grant funding through the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.

Owners of National Register properties also may be able to make charitable contributions of partial interest in their sites or structures, which can result in another tax deduction, according to the letter.

As part of the listing, the program also offers free technical advice to help organizations maintain the properties in a historically-accurate condition.

"We offer this service so property owners can avoid making historically insensitive alterations," said Kaufman.

"How much can we do at the moment?" asked Williams during the meeting that also included St. Francis County Historical Society members Dr. Stuart Towns and Angela Wilburn, who is also a member of the Arkansas Preservation Society, along with Drew Ulrich, curator with the Department of Arkansas Heritage, Forrest City grant writer Glynis Lynch and Forrest City Public Library Director Arlisa Harris.

Williams noted several problems with getting the cemetery cleaned and preserved including access points, land ownership and funding.

Ulrich, Wilburn and Towns have been working on preserving the cemetery and getting it listed.

One of the issues is the cemetery being surrounded by privately-owned land.

"I have spoken with John Gatling," said Towns of the landowner. "He made me believe he'd be happy to sell that piece of property to the Historical Society, which doesn't have the funding, the city, or a church group who would keep it up."

Towns said he spoke with Gatling several years ago, but is willing to contact him again to discuss the property.

Another problem is the lack of a public access point to the land to get cleaning equipment, as well as visitors, onto the property.

"The easement needs to be reconstructed for sure," said Ulrich of an access point. "A sloped easement from the best possible place needs to be constructed."

Williams said he could possibly have the city engineer look at an area off Old Madison Road but asked if the Arkansas Heritage has any programs that would help pay for an engineer to help design and construct such an easement.

Ulrich said he would check with his colleagues and the preservation program to see what might be available. "I can't promise we could pay, but we could petition for part of it from our agency maybe," he said.

Ulrich told the group he would like to have a cleanup event on the property next month, if possible.

"I was definitely planning on bringing the kind of equipment, such as picks and shovels, to get a lot of the headstones buried underground, resurfaced and up," said Ulrich. "We have a lot of different items in our maintenance shed that can be used. We just want to get out there before it gets too cool."

Ulrich also suggested that the city take temporary custodianship of the land and recommended the city consider possibly hiring a consultant and attorney who have experience with listings to help clear the way.

Ulrich said that the cemetery has attracted much attention from organizations within the state over Facebook and with social groups such as the Prince Hall Masons.

"A colleague of mine also wants to be involved and has all the solutions to the lichens and nature of the tombstones to make them readable and pure again," said Ulrich.

Wilburn asked if there would be equipment available to help remove trees that have grown up through some of the tombstones.

"We will do our best in eight hours of work, but I am not sure what we have for trees," said Ulrich.

Towns was asked to contact Gatling to confirm ownership and to help determine the next steps for the property.

Brodie Johnson • Times-Herald The Forrest City School District’s ABC School students visited city hall this morning to hear a story, learn about Halloween safety and to trick-or-treat through the different offices within the building. FC Mayor Cedric Williams hands out candy as the students walk through the line.

Katie West • Times-Herald St. Francis County Historical Society member Dr. Stuart Towns, left, and Forrest City grant writer Glynis Lynch take notes and they listen to Drew Ulrich, with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, talk about the Forrest City Colored Cemetery. Recently, the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery, also known as the Purifoy Cemetery, is located south of East Broadway off of Old Madison Road. Ulrich suggested the city take temporary possession of the property until it can be turned over to the Historical Society. A cleanup day is being planned for the property.