Cemetery Operations
Six employees maintain the City's 54-acre cemetery. They set up tents for graveside services, dig graves for burials and mow the expansive cemetery grounds. The cemetery is staffed six days a week and is accessible to the public seven days a week until dark. The older section of the cemetery is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Decatur Cemetery is a peaceful and beautiful place to walk. Many people enjoy walking their dogs through the cemetery. We ask all visitors to keep their dogs on leashes and stay on the roadway. As an added convenience, the cemetery staff provides Mutt-Mitts for disposal of pet waste. Thank you for helping to keep Decatur Cemetery a pleasant place for all to visit.
Friends of Decatur Cemetery is a volunteer group that works closely with the City to preserve and maintain the cemetery as a historic, cultural and greenspace resource.
The group invites you to share information about those you know who are buried in historic Decatur Cemetery by participating in a special project called Shared Memories. Enduring Legends.
>Click to read more
Friends of Decatur Cemetery
A change of leadership starts a new chapter for the Friends of Decatur Cemetery. After nine years, Carol Reap has stepped down and Cathy Vogel has been appointed Chair of the group. Vogel is a founding member of the group and former Vice Chair. Christine van Voorhies will serve as Vice Chair for preservation and as liaison to the Decatur Preservation Alliance. Under Reap's leadership, the group, in partnership with the City, applied for and obtained grants that enabled the development of a maintenance plan, extensive masonry repairs and restoration of the wellhouse gazebo. In 1997 the Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In cooperation with the City, the group is exploring better utilization of the cemetery as a treasured greenspace within the urban setting. A renewed commitment to the history of Decatur as reflected in the lives of its citizens buried there will be announced soon. Restoration of the landscape through community work days and increased gardening opportunities will be offered.
The ongoing tree replacement project with Decatur Greens, educational programs for adults and children, and the partnership with the DPA to preserve the historic Fraser Building will continue. The successful "Stories by Starlight" has become a biennial event.
If you are interested in joining the Friends of Decatur Cemetery call the Cemetery office at 404-378-4411 or send e-mail to friendsofdecaturcemetery@yahoo.com.
Shared Memories. Enduring Legends.
Recording the stories of Decatur Cemetery . . . because every life is worth remembering.
The Friends of Decatur Cemetery invite you to share information about those you know who are buried in Historic Decatur Cemetery.
>Click for a brief questionnaire (MS Word)
Cemetery Master Plan
The Decatur Cemetery master planning process was interrupted 2 years ago due to a lack of funding for potential improvements. With the approval of Decatur’s bond referendum in 2006, funds are available to make a variety of improvements to the historic Decatur Cemetery.
>Master Plan public meeting May 21, 2008
Lots available in Decatur Cemetery
Cemetery lots located in the northeastern portion of Decatur Cemetery are for sale and can be purchased at the cemetery office on Bell Street. The cost of two-grave lots is $3,000 each for City of Decatur residents and $5,000 each for non-residents. A limited number of single grave lots are available. The City Commission recently approved the development of this new section.
Lots in the cemetery’s cinerarium section are $400 each for Decatur residents and $600 each for non-residents. The cost includes a commemorative marker and interment fees.
For more information, contact the Cemetery office at 404-378-4411.