Historic North Mississippi cemetery neglected by city, families say

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. — Uncut grass is waist-high in spots – so excessive in Historic Hillcrest Cemetery in Holly Springs, Mississippi, that households say they’re sick of it and so they need solutions from the city-owned cemetery.

“There are lots of people out right here which are vital to our metropolis. The town founder is buried right here. Hiram Revell, who’s an important particular person to the neighborhood as a result of he was the primary senator who’s a Black man, is a vital particular person and no person is left to care for the grave. Ida B. Wells’s household is buried out right here,” mentioned Robin McNeil.

McNeil is aware of the historical past of Hillcrest Cemetery. Her household can be buried there. She doesn’t perceive why the town has let the grass develop so excessive. She’s needed to see to it that her household’s graves are taken care of.

“It had grass rising throughout the monument, and I needed to rent somebody to come back weed eat across the monument,” McNeil mentioned.

Jerry Beck mentioned he has needed to come out and have a tendency to his members of the family’ graves because the grass hasn’t been reduce in so lengthy.

“I needed to come out and weed-eat it first and use my weed eater to chop it down as a result of it had gotten so tall. There may be one man attempting to do it, however they used to have a crew of 5 – 6 that labored on it full time,” Beck mentioned.

Alderman at Giant Dexter Shipp mentioned the town had a staffing concern and simply solely not too long ago obtained crews again to a stage the place they will begin correctly taking good care of the cemetery. He mentioned they may quickly begin slicing it recurrently.

“The town wants to concentrate and get anyone down right here to work on this. That is on the historic register,” Beck mentioned.

FOX13 additionally known as the mayor’s workplace to search out out when the town will begin slicing the grass and taking good care of the maintenance.

They mentioned that they might have somebody get again to us. This story can be up to date once they do.

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