District Hill Cemetery Master Plan by districthillcemetery

DISTRICT HILL CEMETERY MASTER PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S L E T T E R F R O M P R O F E S S O R P A R D U E L E T T E R F R O M S T U D E N T S C O N T E X T M A P

2 3 4 6

PRECEDENT STUDIES.....................................................................8 SITE ANALYSIS.............................................................................14

E A S E M E N T S I T E H I S T O R Y P L A N T C O M M U N I T Y

15 16 18

MASTER PLAN..............................................................................22 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.................................................................30

T E C T O N I C S G E N I U S L O C I M A N A G E M E N T S E A S O N A L I T Y M E M O R I A L B U L B P L A N T I N G

31 32 36 38 40

DESIGN DETAILS...........................................................................43

E N T R A N C E C O M M U N I T Y K N O L L M E M O R I A L W A L L G R A V E M A R K E R S S T R U C T U R E S C O S T E S T I M A T E

44 46 48 54 56 58

END NOTES..................................................................................60

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THANK YOU

This project would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of many community members in Chickamauga. We are especially grateful to Joyce and Tom Harrison, for whom this project holds particular significance, and who showed us great kindness throughout the project. The Harrisons hosted the class on site visits, organized community meetings for us, taught us the history of this place and their family, and were always available to answer questions. The other community members whom we were pleased to work with were Glenda Clemons, John Culpepper, Trent Wichman, Deborah Goodson, Chris Young, Ginny Mason, Jim Straub, Carolyn Mathis, Mike O’Neal, Joe Legge, and Paster Jennie Andone. We would also like to thank Reverend Hugh Byrd and the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Byrd and his wife were involved in community meetings, and the church will continue to be involved with the master plan for District Hill Cemetery in the future. Professor Douglas Pardue was instrumental in leading our class through the design process, constantly challenging us throughout the semester to think in new ways, to do just one more iteration of our ideas, to collaborate with new people every week, and to simplify, simplify, simplify! We also extend our thanks to Matt Whitaker, ASLA, who did an excellent job of giving us much needed feedback and advice at critical moments throughout the semester. Mr. Whitaker’s knowledge of the local plant species was superb. It was inspiring to watch him read the landscape based on the differing plant palettes present on our site. Mr. Whitaker’s perspective as a practicing landscape architect provided weight to our critiques and helped us refine our wild design ideas. In addition to those mentioned above, we are extremely grateful to the Lyndhurst Foundation for supporting this important project and to the members of the class who gave so much of their time and creative energy to make this project a reality.

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CARL VINSON INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT: DA N N Y BI V I N S , S E N IO R P U B L IC S ER VICE A S S O CIAT E COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN LAND ENGAGEMENT STUDIO: D OU G LA S PA R D U E , A S S O CIAT E P R O FES S O R PROJECT MANAGERS: A R I A N N E WOLF E & DEVY N Q U ICK STUDENT TEAM: LI F U , M I N G G U A N , CHEN Q U , CA RT ER R ICK S , L A NDO N WOODWA R D , YU W E N YA NG , R A N ZHA NG CONSULTANT: M ATT W H I TA K E R , A S L A

THE LYNDHURST FOUNDATION B EN I C “ B RUZ ” CLA RK , PRESI D EN T MA CON C . TOLEDA N O, A SSOCI ATE D I RECTOR K ATH LEEN N OLTE, PROG RA M OFFI CER CATH ERI N E C . COX , EX ECUTI V E A SSI STA N T THRIVE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP: B RI D G ETT MA SSEN G I LL, PRESI D EN T RUTH TH OMPSON , N ATURA L TREA SURES OUTREA CH MA N A G ER GEORGIA MUNICIPLE ASSOCIATION & GEORGIA CITIES FOUNDATION PERRY H I OTT, D I RECTOR OF COMMUN I TY D EV ELOPMEN T CH RI S H I G D ON , MA N A G ER, COMMUN I TY D EV ELOPMEN T

LETTER FROM PROFESSOR PARDUE COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENT & DESIGN UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA We had just begun the semester when Charlottesville occurred, and suddenly District Hill, a small historic African American cemetery just outside the proud battlefield town of Chickmauga that is paved with the names of southern generals, seemed much more complex. We would discover it was not any more complex than it had always been, only now it seemed impossibly more critical to harness landscape architecture’s core skills and values of discovery, synthesis, representation, and respect to assist the District Hill community in giving dignity to forgotten people and their stories. On its surface, District Hill appears like any other small family cemetery in southern Appalachia: a small, square family plot of marble markers surrounded by a low, broken cinder block wall, set in a rolling prairie dotted with mature ash, oak, and cedars. But District Hill is also sacred space for over 100 known, and possibly hundreds more unknown, unmarked graves of members of Chickamauga’s early African American community. This history, and the stories of the people buried here, beginning before and after 1898, when the Gordon-Lee family deeded District Hill as Chickamauga’s first public African American cemetery, help complete a narrative that exists already but is incomplete. CED’s Engagement Studio was asked to help District Hill’s stewards lend dignity to those interred at the cemetery and use their story to inform a greated and largely missing understanding of Chickamauga’s history. The studio synthesized historical research, community engagement and mediation, site and systems analyses, and collaborative design with District Hill’s stewards to not so much design a place as to blend design and management to create an experience to and through a place that reveals hidden stories and gives respect to the unmarked. One known story, involves, “Uncle” Mark Thrash, who through family ties, is buried next to the family in District Hill. Thrash was a legend in Chickamauga due to his extreme age— he died just shy of 123- and also his roles before, during, and after the Battle of Chickamauga and the National Battlefield created there. Thrash’s marked grave tangibly represents a direct connection between Chickamauga’s known and celebrated history and the largely unknown history represented by District Hill.

— DOUGLAS PARDUE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

LETTER FROM THE STUDENTS This project was a collaboration between the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, and the College of Environment and Design, with financial support from the Lyndhurst Foundation as well as support and guidance from Joyce and Tom Harrison, family stewards of the District Hill Cemetery. The Land Engagement Studio is offered as the final studio for graduate students in the MLA program at the University of Georgia. As we prepared to start class, we were watching the tragedy of the Charlottesville rally unfold on the national news. It was something that shocked each of us, as it did the entire nation. With this horrible display of the state of race relations fresh in our minds, we walked into class on Monday, August 14th to learn about our semester-long project for studio. Located in Northwest Georgia, within the Chattanooga region, Chickamauga is the site of the second deadliest battle in the Civil War. The Chickamauga National Battlefield drew over 900,000 visitors in 2014 and is a vital industry to the

2012 John Culpepper and Senator Jeff Mullis meet with Harrisons to discuss grant possibilities for District Hill.

2015 With help from grant, groundpenetrating radar performed to identify unmarked graves. 4

town and region. District Hill Cemetery is an African American cemetery in Chickamauga that has been neglected for the past few decades. The land was originally deeded to the public in 1899 for use as an African American Cemetery by the Gordon-Lee family. The Gordon-Lee family purchased 3,000 acres in the Georgia land lottery and were very influential in the community of Chickamauga. At the time that the cemetery land was deeded, court documents indicate that there were already people buried on site – as many as 1,000. Some of these people were likely slaves of the Gordon-Lee family. The cemetery was then actively used by the African American community from the 1910s through the 1940s. In 1945, Georgia Power was granted an easement on a large part of the cemetery, and the cemetery was soon thereafter closed to burials. Our goal for the cemetery was to restore some of the dignity that the sacred space deserves. We were conscious that our “solution” for District Hill could come off as hollow, as

2016 Dr. Jackson of Covenant College brings African American Studies Class to District Hill Cemetery.

2017 August UGA Studio class visits site for the first time.

2017 August Studio listens to community voices at public meeting.

2017 October Studio presents initial concepts to District Hill community, and visits site.

none of our class is African American. We were a class of four American and five Chinese students, all coming from positions of privilege. Although we can never fully understand the African American experience in Chickamauga, we attempted to apply what we learned from the community members who shared their stories with us. Our charge was to tell the story of the African American community in this cemetery, just miles down the road from the battlefield. There are still many gaps in that history, even for those living in Chickamauga. What must it be like to grow up in a town surrounded by monuments telling the story of the Civil War, without being able to tell the full story of your own family because it has been obscured or erased? We are not the experts here, as we are not of the culture, nor are we historians. We tried our best to understand the intricacies of history and interpret the landscape in a way that honors the history of the community and brings the dignity of the cemetery to light after years of neglect.

2017 November Studio presents group concepts to Matt Whitaker, ASLA.

Our final product, this master plan, needs to be passed on to a design professional who can take our ideas and modify them as needed to make implementation on this site happen. We know that parts of this plan may need to be altered for a variety of reasons, but we hope that our thorough explanation of each design decision can help guide those changes so that they are aligned with the overall thought process and simplicity of the plan. We hope that our ideas, designed over months of collaboration and taken through many iterations, can begin to restore dignity to a space and a history that so desperately deserve our attention in this day and age.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ARIANNE WOLFE MLA STUDENT

2017 December Studio presents final plan to District Hill community.

Spring 2018 Dr. Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class will research the history of those known to be buried at District Hill.

Spring 2018 Secure funding for implementation and continued maintenance.

Future Send plan to landscape architect for implementation.

CONTEXT MAP

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1. COVE ROAD First established as a federal road, Cove Road was heavily used by Union troops during the Battle of Chickamauga, with as many as 400,000 soldiers crossing its path.1

2. MASONIC LODGE + DISTRICT HILL SCHOOL Built in 1924, the Masonic Lodge No. 221 was organized by once enslaved and first-generation freed African Americans. The District Hill School was originally next door, but a fire in 1921 destroyed both the school and the original 1916 lodge.2,3

3. HASLERIG FAMILY + DAIRY The Haslerig family was paramount in the establishment of the lodge and school and also ran the first and only African American dairy with interstate commerce in Walker County.3

4. CHEROKEE COURTHOUSE + GORDON-LEE MANSION The first courthouse used was a double-log structure built in 1821 as a Cherokee Council House. It was located at the current site of the Gordon-Lee Mansion.4

5. CRAWFISH SPRINGS 6. NATIVE AMERICANS + FORK FIELD “Fork Field” was four to five acres of land cleared by the Cherokee for cultivaton and is home to a number of mounds created by the Creek or Mississippian mound builders.5

7. COKE OVENS While only a small portion of the ovens remains, in 1904 the ovens were producing up to 1,000 tons of coke annually and were run predominantly by slaves.6

8. LEE AND GORDON’S MILL 9. “UNCLE” MARK THRASH + MILITARY PARK “Uncle” Mark Thrash was a slave who helped bury the dead after the Battle of Chickamauga. He became a full-time park employee in 1894. After 28 years of service he retired with a federal pension but continued to live on the park.7 7

PRECEDENT STUDIES Before our first site visit to Chickamauga, our studio studied a number of precedents to learn how we should approach the design for District Hill. We researched a wide variety of sites from traditional cemeteries, the Potters Field section of Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oakland Cemetery, slave cemeteries, historical African American cemeteries, memorials to people buried in mass graves, and a Shinto shrine. Understanding the approach to design,

preservation, and respect from these diverse projects informed the master plan for District Hill Cemetery presented later in the booklet.

PRESERVATION: RANDOLPH CEMETERY

MEMORIAL: MOUNT VERNON

MATERIALS: BROOKLYN CEMETERY

APPROACH: KAMISHIKIMI SHRINE

The following pages highlight certain projects that we felt most informed parts of the design and our understanding of District Hill.

RANDOLPH CEMETERY

Columbia, South Carolina 5 acres Established in 1872 Randolph Cemetery was established during the Reconstruction Era by 19 local black businessmen and legislators as the area’s first African American cemetery. The cemetery reflects the political turmoil of the period, and also represents a rare example of the burial customs and values important to South Carolina’s African American community through its landscape, layout, design, and mortuary styles. After decades of disrepair, the Randolph Cemetery is currently in the midst of a preservation project focusing on three main areas: the restoration of materials, the preservation of the cemetery’s landscape, and the preservation of cultural customs present at the cemetery. To restore damaged materials such as markers and coping, the cemetery retained archaeology and conservation consultants and divided the restoration into marker restoration, a materials salvage program is used phases based on priority. Currently, four phases have to store displaced pieces of the cemetery’s materials for been completed, conserving over 120 grave markers future restoration efforts and historic research. through excavating partially covered stones, pinning and resetting markers, and repairing stone loss. To maximize 10

MOUNT VERNON

The Slave Cemetery at Mount Vernon was used for slaves who worked at the estate in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the number and identities of those buried remain largely unknown.

Mount Vernon, Virginia 2.5 acres Established in 1760

In 1928, concerned that the cemetery would be forgotten, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association ( ) installed a marble marker at the burial grounds. Despite this official recognition, the area still received little attention from the estate’s visiting public. By the 1980s, the memorial and cemetery had become lost to vegetation. Efforts to create a more visible marker resulted in the 1983 Slave Memorial designed by Howard University School of Architecture students in partnership with Black Women United for Action and the MVLA. Simple and moving in its design, a gray, truncated, granite column that represents “life unfinished” is located at the center of three concentric brick circles. The three steps leading up to the column are inscribed, respectively, “Faith,” “Hope,” and “Love,” the virtues that sustained those living in bondage. The Slave Memorial stands as a permanent tribute to the slaves, whose skills, talents, and spiritual strengths were an integral part of the formation of our nation. 11

KAMISHIKIMI KUMANOIMASU SHRINE

Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan Approximately 5 acres Dates unknown The approach to sacred space deserves as much attention as the space itself, because it serves an important role. Sacred space must be clearly delineated so that “uninitiated” people are aware of its existence and will act accordingly. “Bridges, gates, stairways, and other markers on [the] path signal the moment at which the path crosses into the sacred site.”8 Finally, a threshold that one must cross to reach the sacred space completes the journey. The Shinto Shrine of Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu perfectly represents the elements of approach to a sacred space. Along the roadside, the torii gate and boundary markers clearly define the entrance with minimal signage. Along the approach, one crosses through several torii. As one gets closer to the sacred shrine itself, there are pillars and statuary that mark the path at regular intervals. Finally, the main sanctuary of the shrine is revealed.

“...gestures of approach...affirm and entrench the recognized borders of the sacred place, but also provide visual signals to uninitiated observers that a threshold is about to be crossed.” — RON EDUARD HASSNER

BROOKLYN CEMETERY

Brooklyn Cemetery is one of two historically significant African American cemeteries in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1882, the cemetery was commonly used for burials until the 1950s, and occasionally used until 1997. Since the 1980s, the cemetery has suffered from neglect, and what was once an open, sunny cemetery is now a heavily wooded area.

Athens, Georgia 10 acres Established in 1882

In spite of the neglect, one can easily tell that this is a sacred burial ground through a number of visual clues, or materials common to cemeteries. There is evidence of grave markers, tokens left at the graves of loved ones, family plots, and many mature plants such as yucca, eastern red cedar, and dogwoods that have been traditionally associated with cemeteries.

SITE ANALYSIS

EASEMENT GUIDELINES In 1945, Georgia Power was granted a 100-foot easement on the Haslerig property to construct transmission lines. This included the one-acre cemetery parcel. Based on maps from the Walker County tax assessorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, this easement begins at the southern boundary and extends 100-feet north into the Haslerig property.

Since the majority of the site was included in the easement, it was important for us to understand any restrictions within the easement. The following diagrams show the location of the six power poles along the approach road, and the limitations we faced in our designs.

HEIGHT RESTRICTION

Red area shows where tree height is restricted to 15 feet. PLANTING RESTRICTION

Red area shows the 25-foot radius around power poles where there should be no plantings. 15

SITE HISTORY PRE 1800s PRE 1800s For centuries, Native American towns and villages thrived along the rivers and within the valleys of North Georgia. Between 1783 and 1828, much of North Georgia remained under the control of the Cherokee and Creek tribes. Before that, most of North Georgia was controlled by the Creek or Mississippian mound builders. By 1800, the majority of the remaining Cherokee Nation was in present-day Georgia.9

EARLY 1800s

1836 - 1863

EARLY 1800s For a short period of time, the dominant people in the area were Cherokees. They had settled the area and transformed it into a large plantation.10 However, between 1805 and 1832 Georgia used a lottery system seven times to distribute the land taken from the Cherokee Nation and Creek Nation. In 1835, any remaining Cherokee in North Georgia were forcibly removed to Indian Territory during what is known today as the Trail of Tears.11,12

LATE 1800s

EARLY 1900s

1949

1836 - 1863

EARLY 1900s

Shortly after the Cherokee removal, James Gordon and his brothers came to the area from Gwinnett County. He has purchased several of the land lottery lots and established a slave plantation. In 1840, Gordon began construction of this home employing slave labor, and, except for nails, all the materials used to build the house came from the property. This new home was to serve as the centerpiece of his 2,500-acre plantation. Flanking the stately two-story brick house were a brick smokehouse and six two-room brick slave houses.13,14

In 1905, George W. Haslerig saved enough money to purchase 15 acres of land that surrounded the cemetery and later purchased an additional 65 acres of adjoining farmland. On top of being steward to the cemetery, the Haslerig property also housed a number of African American community institutions such as the District Hill School and 1916 lodge hall before they were mysteriously burned down.17,18

The public cemetery was used regularly until the late 1940s, after which it became overgrown, its graves were seldom tended, and many of its tombstones were LATE 1800s destroyed or stolen. One of the last people interred at Gordy and Tommy Lee deeded a one-acre site, once the cemtery was Mark Thrash in 1943.19 part of the Gordon-Lee plantation, for the burial of â&#x20AC;&#x153;colored people,â&#x20AC;? establishing District Hill Cemetery. 1945 In 1945, Georgia Power Company obtained an easement Legal documents from the era indicate that prior to on the Haslerig property for a 100-foot right-of-way for becoming a public cemetery, hundreds of slaves were the purpose of contructing electric transmission lines. possibly buried on site in unmarked graves.15 If true, this history makes District Hill the oldest resting place AfricanAmerican slaves in the county.16

PLANT COMMUNITY This section show the species that were identified on the site and indicates whether they are endemic, native, or invasive to the area. Endemic plants occur only in the area around Chickamauga and nowhere else. Native plants occur across the broader region and perhaps even most of North America. Invasive plants are those species that are introduced and have grown rapidly and aggressively, and can replace native or endemic plants in an ecosystem if unchecked.

ENDEMIC PLANTS

The approach road has seen more disturbance than the cemetery. It is an active access road for Georgia Power and has been regraded with gravel in the last five years. The vegetation reflects this, as the approach road has more invasive plants, while the cemetery site has more endemic plants. The numbers to the right correspond to specific places identified in the sections on pages 20 and 21. The areas represent spots where these species were most prevalent.

NATIVE PLANTS

INVASIVE PLANTS

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CEMETERY SITE

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APPROACH ROAD

PLANT COMMUNITY In early October, the class visited District Hill Cemetery once again. During this visit students took detailed samples and photos of the plants that were present.

WINTER

The section-elevations shown here were compiled from photos taken on site. They illustrate how the elevation changes across the site and how the vegetation changes at different points along the approach road.

SUMMER

SPRING 4

FALL There were no trees on the site except for those in the cemetery site. This is likely because any other trees are within the Georgia Power easement and are not allowed to grow above 15 feet. 21

MASTER PLAN

ENTRY Parking area, entry sign, historical Cove Road plaque

GRAVEL ROAD AND PATH Decomposed granite on northernmost track

BARBED WIRE FENCE 10 feet from mowed edge

PARCEL LINE

CONTEMPORARY BOUNDARY Mowed boundary reflects the location of recently discovered graves

RESTORED FAMILY PLOT Limestone curbing

REFLECTIVE PATH 2.5-foot decomposed granite path

NEW MARKERS Granite markers for unmarked graves

PILLARS Corner markers represent historic one-acre cemetery plot

COMMUNITY KNOLL Shaded stone seating and interpretation area

VEHICLE TURNAROUND

MEMORIAL Limestone memorial to those known and unknown buried at District Hill

FOUND MARKERS Area for displaced markers

CATTLE GUARD

3 1

5 6

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MASTER PLAN: CEMETERY SITE 1 MOW LINE Maintained April-August 2 CORNER COLUMNS Limestone columns mark the corners of the one-acre plot 3 BARBED WIRE FENCE Set 10 feet from the mow line so that it disappears once grasses begin to grow in spring 4 MARKERS & BULBS FOR UNMARKED GRAVES Granite disks and bulbs mark the graves of those who have been found without headstones or markers 5 PARCEL LINES 6 PATH Decomposed granite path through cemetery. 2.5 feet wide except at the family plot 7 FAMILY PLOT Wall surrounding Haslerig family plot is replaced with marble curbing. Interior vegetation is kept low. 8 BENCH 9 FOUND GRAVE MARKERS Any displaced markers that are found in the surrounding field should continue to be placed under the eastern red cedar trees to create a memorial area. 10 MEMORIAL Memorial dedicated to those buried at District Hill. Engraved limestone. 11 MEMORIAL TO THE UNKNOWN Memorial dedicated to those whose final resting places have not yet been discovered. 12 CATTLE GUARD

MASTER PLAN: CEMETERY SITE

Spring and summer plan view showing the mow line 28

Fall and early winter plan view: site vegetation is contiguous with the surrounding meadow 29

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT As a studio, we spent considerable time on analysis. We studied the landscape of the site, and its context within the region. We studied the historical designation of the cemetery, as well as the pattern of burials that were discovered by the ground-penetrating radar. Finally, we spent the most time on the vegetation analysis and its implications for the design of our cemetery. The design

development presented in this section knits together the analysis and the master plan. It explains how our analysis informed the design decisions that we made about the cemetery and goes into further detail on the vegetation management plan.

TECTONICS LANDSCAPE-INFORMED DESIGN ELEMENTS

EMERGENT LANDSCAPE PATTERNS

The ridge and valley geologic formation of the Appalachian Mountains runs throughout North Georgia composing linear bands of rising rock.

Exposed limestone outcrops are scattered throughout this region. The exposed limestone displays bands of staggered rock that mirror the mountain range to which they are ultimately tied. Limestone weathering causes lines where water erodes the stone in long striations, causing angled cuts within the rock. Limestone blocks represent a vernacular material that embodies the role of the landscape to the surrounding community.

GENIUS LOCI: SPIRIT OF THE PLACE 1. Analysis:

Original one-acre plot designated as a cemetery. 2. Analysis:

Unmarked graves lie outside the one-acre plot. 32

Design:

Limestone columns mark the corners of the original plot. Design:

The mow line incorporates all the unmarked graves.

3. Analysis:

Unmarked graves are scattered throughout the cemetery in clusters. Design:

A formal, linear path links the known gravesites.

Design:

A narrow, winding path leads visitors through the scattered graves. Design:

A new entrance from the south is aligned to the family plot. 33

GENIUS LOCI: SPIRIT OF THE PLACE

The images above are the design decisions that were presented on pages 32-33. The plan to the right shows how each of these design decisions was incorporated into the final plan. 34

MANAGEMENT

December

The plan for District Hill intentionally uses minimal materials and added elements. What makes this plan unique is the attention to detail in the seasonal management of the site. Mowing patterns shift throughout the year, creating different experiences of the site depending on when people visit. The diagrams presented here show the mass/void relationship within the cemetery site as the mowing patterns change with the seasons.

February

November October

March

September

April

August

May July

WINTER MAINTENANCE: JANUARY - FEBRUARY

June

SPRING & SUMMER MAINTENANCE:

LATE SUMMER & FALL MAINTENANCE:

MARCH - JULY

AUGUST - DECEMBER

Bush-hog in early January. Vegetation remains dormant.

Mow the cemetery site once vegetation begins to grow in late March.

Allow natural vegetation to grow to full height.

Early spring narcissus bulbs begin to emerge in February.

Continue tri-weekly mowing schedule through the end of July.

Allow to remain at full height through the new year.

Mowed Areas 36

January

Unmowed Areas

MANAGEMENT As the mowing patterns shift throughout the year, the experience within the cemetery site changes for visitors. The native vegetation on the site grows to approximately four feet when it is not mowed. The diagrams presented here show the mass-void relationship within the cemetery site through the seasons.

1. WINTER MAINTENANCE: January - February Bush-hog in early Januar y 2. SPRING AND SUMMER MAINTENANCE: March - August Mow line incorporates all known graves 3. FALL MAINTENANCE: September - December Decomposed granite path and marked graves maintained; no mowing

3 37

SEASONALITY The images shown here provide a visual understanding of how the management regime would change the feeling of the cemetery throughout the seasons. In the summer (shown below) and fall when the native vegetation is allowed to grow, there would be a sense of enclosure that visitors experience as they walk the narrow footpath. During these seasons, the granite markers for the unknown graves would not be visible aside from those that are located directly next to the path.

During the winter months, when the vegetation is short, the cemetery would feel more open. Visitors would be able to see all of the grave markers and to explore the entirety of the site to get a full understanding of how many people are buried at District Hill. In early spring, as the narcissus bulbs bloom, visitors experience a few weeks of fleeting beauty that acknowledge those buried on the site whose graves were unable to be located and identified with granite markers.

SEASONAL RENDERINGS These images show how the management strategy for the master plan would change the vegetation on the site. The natural vegetation is allowed to grow to its full height in late summer and fall. In January, the site is bushhogged. In early spring the narcissus bulbs emerge before the rest of the vegetation, marking all of the known graves.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Fall; winter; and spring

MEMORIAL BULB PLANTING One of the most important things to accomplish with the District Hill master plan was finding a way to honor and memorialize the people who may be buried here but whom we have no record of. When the land was dedicated as a cemetery by the Gordon-Lee family in 1898, court documents indicated that there were 700-1,000 people buried in the cemetery already. Without any legal documentation, and being past the age when ground-penetrating radar could detect burials with accuracy, the likelihood of finding these gravesites is slim. Our plan is to mark all of the graves that have been identified with granite markers and narcissus bulbs. When they are first planted, the bulbs will mark only those graves that are known. As they spread over time, they will cover more of the cemetery, turning the whole cemetery into a memorial for a brief period of time.

NARCISSUS SELECTION COLOR: White BLOOM TIME: Mid-February NUMBER: 5 blubs per grave marker (610 total) Bulbs should be selected by a professional familiar with the Chickamauga region to ensure success for site conditions. The selected variety should have white petals. White was chosen because it is a significant color representing the dead in many African cultures and for many African Americans. Many narcissus varieties in North Georgia begin blooming in February before most of the native plants on site would begin seeing new growth. To work with the mowing maintenance schedule for our plan, it is important that the variety not develop new growth before early January, as the site will be bush-hogged at this time. The flowers should bloom in February in order to have enough time to stand on their own before the native vegetation begins to grow, and mowing maintenance resumes.

2017

2027

2057

2097 41

DESIGN DETAILS

ENTRANCE The entry prioritizes a simple design that fosters a tranquil approach to the cemetery. By placing the parking area along Cove Road, the entry encourages visitors to leave their cars at the road and walk along the original approach road to the cemetery.

Serviceberry trees Historic marker Barbed wire fence Gravel parking area

The entrance marker for District Hill Cemetery is an elegantly simple sign made from local limestone. A historic marker would commemorate the troops that moved along Cove Road on their way to the Battle of Chickamauga. We decided to keep the original approach road to the cemetery intact because of its historic significance. Although the road is now utilized primarily by Georgia Power as an access road for the easement, we have reclaimed one of the tire tracks as a pedestrian path by using decomposed granite.

HISTORIC MARKER

Rendering of entry sequence. 44

District Hill entrance sign Gate for vehicle access Decomposed granite path PLAN VIEW OF ENTRANCE

ENTRANCE MARKER

Currently the access road is paved with gravel every few years, but the aggressive meadow plants quickly reclaim the road so that it needs to be mowed to maintain access. The gate on Cove Road that allows for vehicle access would remain, and could be accessed by Georgia Power and the Harrisons. This would allow those with limited mobility to access the site but would encourage most visitors to walk.

Dimensions of District Hill entrance marker

VEHICLE ACCESS

COMMUNITY KNOLL PLAN VIEW OF COMMUNITY KNOLL Atop the highest point along the approach, a moment of respite and reflection is offered, revealing sweeping views of a bucolic landscape. The design sits at the crest of the hill, with three staggered limestone blocks to the east representing the landscape and its importance in the development of the region. The longer linear block represents the unified community of Chickamauga. Its angled position orients visitors toward the community of Chickamauga and offers the first view of the cemetery.

Decomposed granite path RENDERING OF APPROACH PATH

Serviceberry Limestone trees benches

Mowed grass

Gravel road

CONCEPT DRAWINGS Plan view of community knoll with contours (above), and perspective sketch (right)

VIEW OF COMMUNITY KNOLL FACING EAST

MEMORIAL WALL As visitors approach the entrance to the cemetery along the main access path, they first see the limestone block inscribed with the cemetery name and the date of establishment. As they continue along the path, they will diverge from the vehicle road and enter a small decomposed granite gathering space in front of the memorial. The memorial wall is designed to be split into two parts with a crack down the middle. This crack is aligned with the columns that mark the original one-acre cemetery plot line. The portion of the memorial that falls outside of this â&#x20AC;&#x153;officialâ&#x20AC;? cemetery designation is intended to honor those unknown and unnamed who are buried at District Hill. The verse from the Book of Matthew that was chosen by the community will be inscribed here along with an acknowledgment of those unknown. The other, larger portion of the memorial is inscribed with the names of all those known to be buried in the cemetery. The dates of birth and death, if known, will be separated by decade and the names organized alphabetically by last name. The names on this part of the memorial will cover three sides of the monument.

MEMORIAL WALL This memorial is to be constructed from a single block of local limestone with a honed or machine smooth finish. We designed this piece to be built from a single slab of limestone so that we would not need to dig a footer for a wall. While there is no evidence to suggest there are any graves surrounding this memorial, we feel that it is best practice to ensure that no graves are disturbed. Using this design, only the vegetation would need to be excavated so that the stone block can settle into place.

South Elevation (looking north) Dimensions: 6 feet long; crack located at 2 feet; 2.5 feet tall at front; 3 feet tall at back 50

West Elevation (left), and East Elevation (right) Dimensions: 3 feet wide at base; 2 feet wide at top; 2.5 feet tall at front; 3 feet tall at back

North Elevation (looking south) Dimensions: 6 feet long; 3 feet tall 51

MEMORIAL WALL The diagram and rendering show how the crack in the memorial wall is intended to align with the columns marking the historic one-acre plot. As previously shown, the portion of the memorial that falls outside of the cemetery plot commemorates the unknown who are buried in the cemetery, while the portion that rests inside the cemetery commemorates all those known to be buried at District Hill.

RIGHT: Diagram showing alignment BELOW: Rendering showing how the alignment would be perceived by visitors

In addition to the narcissus that will spread with time, another part of the memorial is intended to memorialize those likely buried in District Hill who were not able to be located with ground-penetrating radar. This memorial wall will remind visitors that this is the final resting place for more people than we were able to mark. To do so, this wall holds a few extra granite grave markers, to symbolize that our job can never be complete: we can never know exactly who is buried here, nor how many unknown burials there are. We hope that this somber entrance to the cemetery will make visitors understand that every part of the cemetery is hallowed ground and should be treated with respect even if there are no markers indicating a grave site.

MEMORIAL FOR THE UNKNOWN

GRAVE MARKERS In 2015, ground-penetrating radar was used on the District Hill Cemetery site to identify as many unmarked graves as possible. A total of 122 unmarked graves were located and marked with rebar. It was important to find a way to mark these graves in our master plan so that visitors could look out over the cemetery and understand how many people are known to have been buried here. The markers would be made of white granite because of the significance of the color in African and African American burial traditions, and granite because it would be the most durable stone material for the site. They would be buried four inches underground so they would be less likely the move. The remaining 1.5 inches would be above ground, so that they appear to be small white discs scattered throughout the meadow. In many African and African American burial traditions, water is an important symbol of death. Many African cultures believe that the world of the dead exists underneath the water. It is also tradition that the dead be buried facing east, toward both the rising sun and Africa. The small indentation in the top of the markers is meant to hold a small amount of water that will slowly drain to the east through the small crack in the stone. These markers would be visible in the cemetery from January through July while the vegetation is kept low. Beginning in August, when the mowing stops, these markers would disappear, honoring the fact that there are more people buried here than can be identified with the ground-penetrating radar.

GRAVE MARKERS MATERIAL: White granite DIMENSIONS: 5.5â&#x20AC;? deep, 7â&#x20AC;? round ORIENTATION: Crevasse facing east BELOW: Section of markers

GRAVE MARKERS

From a design standpoint, we feel very strongly that these markers should be round. The circle represents unity, wholeness, and the circle of life. However, we are keenly aware that there is a budget for this project and have learned that creating round surfaces on the granite would increase the labor cost tremendously. The design presented here is an alternative square design that features the same design element, while being more affordable.

GRAVE MARKERS MATERIAL: White granite DIMENSIONS: 5.5â&#x20AC;? deep, 7â&#x20AC;? square ORIENTATION: Crevasse facing east

STRUCTURES

PILLARS

BENCHES IN CEMETERY

GRAVE MARKERS

MATERIAL: Limestone DIMENSIONS: 18” square on bottom; 8” square on top; 6’ tall PURPOSE: Marking the corners of the one-acre plot that was dedicated as the cemetery

MATERIAL: Limestone DIMENSIONS: 18” x 18” x 10’ LOCATION: Next to the family plot and next to the collection of displaced grave markers

MATERIAL: White granite DIMENSIONS: 5.5” deep, 7” round PURPOSE: Marking the graves of the unmarked burials

CURBING MATERIAL: White marble DIMENSIONS: 6” tall, varying lengths LOCATION: Surrounding the family plot and the four other marked graves

STRUCTURES

ENTRY SIGN

BENCHES AT KNOLL

MATERIAL: Limestone DIMENSIONS: 2’ x 1.5’ x 6’ LOCATION: At the pedestrian entrance off of the parking area

MATERIAL: Limestone DIMENSIONS: 1.5’ x 1.5’, varying lengths LOCATION: At the high point along the approach road

MEMORIAL MATERIAL: Limestone DIMENSIONS: varying LOCATION: At the southern entrance to the cemetery along the approach road

COST ESTIMATE ITEM

LOCATION