Fitzsimmons Historic Cemetery

Update 4 June 2007

Unveiling of the Fitzsimmons Cemetery Historical Marker
Date: June 23 2007
Time: 1 p.m.
Where: Fitzsimmons Family Cemetery, Marble Hill, Ga., (on Marble Hill Church Road opposite Imerys' main plant on Ga. Hwy 53)

Limited seating, so you may wish to bring a folding chair

Mimi Jo & Rober Butler cleaning the Monument

Work at the historic Fitzsimmons Cemetery in Marble Hill is progressing under the leadership of the Marble Valley Historical Society, Inc. One of the most recent activities was the cleaning of the original Fitzsimmons monuments, installed about 1895. Monuments for all of the 15 burials in the cemetery will be completed this week, as well as for Almyra Fitzsimmons Bearden at Bethany Baptist Cemetery.

Chairman of the Restoration Committee, Charles Luke McClain, plans 23 June 2007 as the long awaited unveiling of the interpretative monument to honor Henry T. Fitzsimmons' contributions to the establishment of the marble industry in Pickens County. For information, call Luke McClain at 706-692-9435 or MVHS at 706-253-1141.

Update 20 May 2007

Cemetery has been prepared for monument installation.
Recent work was completed with help of the City of Jasper community service workers, supervised by Jackie Howell, City employee with Luke McClain, Mimi Jo Butler and Ben Lohman of MVHS, Inc.

Update 29 March 2007

MVHS has a topographical survey prepared by Barton Surveying and the landscape completed by Edward Daugherty, Landscape Architect. The signage carving is in progress and work will soon start on grading a pathway from the road to the cemetery. Once the grading is completed, the society will commence the begin augmenting a beautification plan.

Update 7 February 2007
We have topographical survey by Barton Surveying and the landscape plan is being completed by Edward Daugherty, Landscape Architect. As soon as completed, work will begin on the cemetery restoration and beautification.

A spring completion date is anticipated.

Viewer's will notice that our goal to raise $10,000 for this project has not quite reached the top. We still need another $750. We greatly appreciate the generosity of those who have already contributed to the project.

Update 6 September 2006
MVHS is pleased to announce that we are now only $2,000 short of our goal for the funds necessary to work on the restoration of the Fitzsimmons Cemetery. We are pleased to announce that Amicalola Electric has donated $1000 and that Pickens County has pledged $2000.

Update 5 August 2006
Luke McClain has worked diligently over the past several months to solicit additional financial support for the work at the cemetery and physical laborers to complete the work. We have learned that Pickens County does not now utilize community service workers. All spraying of the cemetery in 2005/2006 has been done by Luke and Mimi Jo Butler & MVHS paid for cleanings. An article was place in the Progress to inform the public about the needs. We are currently on hold until a landscape plan can be obtained. We have a goal of $10,000 to complete the cemetery work and we are halfway there. Recent donors to date: Jasper Banking Company, Cagle Funeral Home, Dr. C. Russell Wright, Garner's Ace Hardware, NAPA, Denson Heating. Any member who will donate or who knows a possible business donor is asked to contact Luke McClain at 706-692-9435. MVHS appreciates Luke's commitment to completion of this restoration project.

Fitzsimmons Cemetery Marble Donated by PolyCor

MVHS Inc. is one step closer to establishing the Henry T Fitzsimmons Cemetery in Marble Hill as a stop on the historic tour of Pickens County. One half acre which includes the cemetery was donated to Pickens County by Imerys in 2005.

MVHS has cleaned the cemetery site several times in the past year awaiting a landscape design by a local firm. Marble for the Fitzsimmons interpretative monument and headstones for the 14 buried in the cemetery, as well as marble for steps and other sites at the cemetery, was obtained from PolyCor on April 25.

MVHS will be working with Commissioner Robert Jones and David Carver of Watkins & Carver Monument Company to complete the work in the near future.

Luke McClain is the Society chairman of the project and Mimi Jo Butler is the assistant chairman.