Ash County approves $4,000 trailer for cemetery committee; GPR finds 83 unmarked graves at one site

The Ash County Board of Commissioners voted April 20 to approve a purchase order for an enclosed trailer of up to $4,000 to store and transport ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) equipment used by the county’s cemetery committee.

Why it matters: The committee is using GPR to locate unmarked graves and abandoned cemeteries across the county; volunteers and the committee said the work reveals previously unknown burial sites and supports preservation efforts.

What the committee reported Committee members told commissioners that since resuming spring fieldwork they have run GPR surveys at multiple locations (Solomon Jones, Burgess family site, Zion in Fleetwood, Baloo in Grassy Creek, Farrington on 88, and others) and planned additional work at Chestnut Hill.

At one location, the committee reported that an earlier survey suggested roughly 30–40 graves at a cemetery and a nearby unmarked slave burial ground; GPR identified approximately 83 graves in the combined area. Committee members said some discovered sites are unfenced and subject to livestock and erosion.

Trailer purchase and motion A commissioner moved and seconded a motion to authorize a purchase order for an enclosed trailer up to $4,000 for the cemetery committee to transport GPR and other supplies; the motion specified the trailer be housed on county property and that the appropriation come from the public buildings line in the current budget. The motion was approved.

Volunteer work and partnerships Committee members said volunteers and donations fund most of the work; the town of Jefferson and Ashe Memorial Hospital have participated in cemetery adoption, fencing and maintenance at specific sites. Committee members asked the county to assist with insurance tagging and storage arrangements; county staff agreed to coordinate tags and insurance and to identify a parking location on county property.

Broader survey progress The committee reported roughly 1,154 cemeteries on its map, with additional small sites still to locate. Committee volunteers said they have found dozens of African American and slave-era cemeteries across the county and asked for continued community support and public signage at preserved sites.

Next steps County staff agreed to work with the committee on trailer registration, insurance and a secure county location for storage. Committee members plan additional GPR surveys and public outreach about donation opportunities and volunteer cleanups.