Photo from Wikipedia
In this economic climate, we are all looking for FREE things to entertain us and our families. The Historic Decatur Cemetery is a great place to visit, take a walk and visit the historic gravesites. The cemetery is believed to have been an old church burial ground taken into the city when it was chartered in 1823. The two oldest headstone inscriptions date to 1827 and 1828 and belong to Ann Reynolds and David Young.
Did you know that the poet Dr. Thomas Chivers is buried here? Dr. Chivers was a doctor who abandoned his medical practice for his poetry and is best known for his strong, but stormy relationship withEdgar Allen Poe. Chivers was perhaps the first American writer to record black language and dialect. He lived in Decatur late in life, and was buried, at his own request, at the foot of his front doorstep before retirement to the Decatur Cemetery.
Mary Gay, famous author of Life of Dixie During the War, has her final resting place in the cemetery. Her book was used as a source for Gone With the Wind. Her home, restored by the DeKalb Junior League, is on West Trinity Street.
Benjamin Swanton was an early Decatur entrepreneur who operated a gristmill, a tannery, a brickyard and a cotton gin. The Swanton House has 
been restored and can also be found on West Trinity.
Be sure to bring some bread with you to feed the ducks and geese that enjoy sunning and swimming in the lake.
For more information and a brochure with a map of points to visit, stop by the Cemetery Office.
