“All graveyards are a little like history books. The difference here is that the pages are carved from stone.”

- Philip Lister

The Middlesboro Cemetery is large and rambling, its location on a hill in the midst of town making it visible to the traffic below. Its gravestones range from the elaborate to the very simple, and the names on them read like a Who's Who of the early movers and shakers of Middlesboro.

Tom Shattuck, Bell County Historical Society vice president and author of “A Cumberland Gap Area Guidebook,” is very familiar with the cemetery through his many walks. “Take a walk around here and the names bring back memories,” he said, pointing out stones of the famous and near-famous as well as a stand of impressive cane-brake.

“This is just what Boone would have seen when he came through on the Wilderness Road,” he added.

Indeed, the original Wilderness Road (now 19th Street), followed by Daniel Boone and thousands of others, runs right by the cemetery.

Middlesboro's history is written in the grave of Alexander Alan Arthur, British entrepreneur and founder of Middlesboro, who is buried in the cemetery along with many members of his family. It's written in the grave of Robert Kincaid, author of “The Wilderness Road,” the book considered by many to be the definitive history of the Cumberland Gap region. It's also written in the grave of James Colson, whose family settled the area long before Alexander Arthur laid his plans for the city. It's written in the more than 150 veterans' graves that were marked with flags by local Cubs Scouts last Memorial Day. All in all it is estimated that more than 2600 recorded souls have their final resting place in the Middlesboro Cemetery, with many more likely buried by families too poor to buy markers.

It wasn't that long ago that cemeteries were used as parks where families would picnic and stroll, remembering and communing with lost loved ones. Not many people feel that way anymore, though, which can be a problem when it comes to upkeep of the old burial grounds. More and more old cemeteries are falling prey to vandalism and neglect, as the perpetual care funds set up decades ago can no longer come close to covering the cost of even simple maintenance. Unfortunately, Middlesboro Cemetery is no exception to this trend.

Bell County Historical Museum archivist and docent Dr. Kenneth Smith and his wife Isabelle are two local citizens who are concerned about the plight of the Middlesboro Cemetery, which is marking its centennial this month. According to the Smiths, long-time cemetery board members with family buried in the cemetery, fewer than one quarter of the descendents of people buried there contribute to the maintenance of the cemetery, despite annual bills and reminders.

The charge for simply mowing the vast cemetery is currently more than $1,000 per month, and so far this year the trust fund for perpetual care has produced just $4,000. Dr. Smith projected the worst case scenario for the cemetery as “it'll grow up in weeds!” Virginia Huff, secretary of the Middlesboro Cemetery Board for more than 50 years, is also distressed over the uncertainty of the cemetery's future.

“It has all the old citizens and early founders of Middlesboro buried there,” she remarked.

Although there have been many people instrumental in preserving the cemetery over the years, today there are only a few people in the community who take an active interest. Richard Mathews has created a list of Middlesboro Cemetery burials which is now accessible on the Internet, while the dwindling Board of Directors struggle each year with funding the cemetery's care and supervising the caretakers. They also field calls to locate family members in the cemetery and will take interested parties on a tour of the cemetery if requested.

Anyone interested in making a donation towards the maintenance and care of the Middlesboro Cemetery, and thereby helping to preserve a piece of history, may send a payment to Dr. Kenneth Smith, Middlesboro Cemetery, P.O. Box 863, Middlesboro. The Middlesboro Cemetery is located on North 19th Street and is open seven days a week during daylight hours.

Martha Wiley is a Correspondent for the Daily News. She can be reached via e-mail at mwiley@middlesborodailynews.com.