History buffs learned of another tool to decode the past and learn more about the Montgomery County Cemetery Inventory (MCCI). Thank you to Glenn Wallace for detailing this multi-year project to find and document every MoCo cemetery.
In 2004, volunteers started their searches with paper survey forms, map books and cameras. Now, cell phones provide GPS coordinates, take pictures and scan documents to authenticate the findings.
Using subtle clues like periwinkle, ground depressions, field stones and groundhog holes, the volunteer sleuths added over 324 cemeteries to the Inventory, Google Maps and Find-A-Grave. Twelve lost cemeteries, including one in Barnesville, were found, and fifty–five additional cemeteries were added to the inventory.
With the aid of the Inventory and several recent laws protecting burial sites, the County hopes to protect them from development and preserve these cemeteries for posterity. You can watch the recording of this event on our YouTube;