Madison, Madison County Record, News, Z - News Main
 By  GreggParker Published 
3:28 pm Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Municipal cemeteries committee adds signage

MADISON – Members of Madison Municipal Cemeteries Committee have placed ‘circa’ signage at two of the city’s public cemeteries.

Workers recently installed the historic markers at Madison Cemetery, which is north of Mill Road and south of City Hall, and Madison Memory Gardens, on Hughes Road just north of City Hall.

“The signs were installed so the circa dates of each cemetery could be visible to everyone,” committee president Cindi W. Sanderson said. “I have been asked numerous times, ‘How old is that cemetery?’ or ‘When was the first burial there?”

Sanderson said the signs provide another way of documenting the history of the city. 

Madison Cemetery was opened circa 1914 with the first known burial for Sarah Orlena Garrett. “There are a couple of headstones with earlier dates, but they are not original to the cemetery. These were moved from a family cemetery on U.S. 72 during the 1950s,” Sanderson said.

Before Madison Cemetery was available, burials were completed in Old Madison Cemetery, south of Mill Road. Alabama Historical Commission designated Old Madison Cemetery as a historic cemetery in 2015.

Madison Memory Gardens located on Hughes Road opened circa 1927. “This site was formerly known as Royal Cemetery. The oldest known burial there was that of Virginia Leslie,” Sanderson said.

“Both Madison Cemetery and Madison Memory Gardens are municipal cemeteries,” she said.

Along with Sanderson, the members of Madison Municipal Cemeteries Committee are Elbert Balch, member of Madison Station Historic Preservation Commission; Gerald Clark, District 6 Councilman, Madison City Council; Mayor Paul Finley; Dorothy Magee; Rev. Evelyn Matthews; Public Works employee Colby Smith; Public Works Director Kent Smith; and City Clerk-Treasurer Melanie A. Williard.

The committee is responsible for studying related matters and making recommendations to City Council. The group assists in the performance of maintenance and improvements to the grounds and structures of all cemeteries operated and maintained by the City of Madison, as provided in Ordinance No. 2012-48.

For more information, visit madisonal.gov.

Also on The Madison Record
Rocket City Marching Invitational set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at stadium
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Bob Jones High School Bands, in collaboration with title sponsor KODA Technologies, will present the third annual Rocket City Marching Invit...
Mayor Paul Finley bids farewell, reflects on accomplishments at 2025 Madison Update
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - Madison Mayor Paul Finley will be leaving the office of mayor this Nov. after sitting out the Aug. 26 election. Finley addressed the busines...
District 6 seat to be decided Tuesday in runoff election
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - There is one final race to be decided from Madison’s municipal Aug. 26 election. The representative for District 6 on the Madison City Counc...
Heart of the Valley YMCA exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy, renews mission focus
A: Main, Business, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
HUNTSVILLE – On Sept. 8, Heart of the Valley YMCA announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This development marks a new chapter ...
MCDAB presents check to Parks and Recreation, chairperson steps down
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Maria Rakoczy 
September 17, 2025
MADISON - After serving as the chairperson for the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board (MCDAB) for nine years, Janessa Crosswy is moving and steppi...
State lawmakers, local city leaders meet with Space Command leader to discuss transition
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By ALEX ANGLE Alabama Daily News 
September 17, 2025
WASHINGTON — Space Command is moving quickly to bring the headquarters to Huntsville through meetings with members of the state’s congressional delega...
Best-Selling Author Jen Hatmaker to share memoir on Oct. 21
Events, Madison County Record, News, ...
Gregg Parker 
September 17, 2025
MADISON – Jean Hatmaker, “New York Times” Best-Selling Author, speaker and podcaster, will share thoughts from her memoir, “Awake,” at Blue Apple Book...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *