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Historic First Baptist Church Cemetery seeks city funding for preservation
Summary
Speakers asked Calera to fund restoration and maintenance of the historic First Baptist Church Cemetery (formerly Old Colored Cemetery), estimating a multi-year program costing about $75,000 and requesting immediate support for a marker and initial annual funding.
Calera — Members of the First Baptist Church and local volunteers asked the Calera City Council on July 21 to support preservation of the First Baptist Church Cemetery, a historic African-American burial ground also called the Old Colored Cemetery.
Natalie Rouse, who said she is representing the effort, described the cemetery as dating to the late 1800s with a combination of hand-carved markers, many unmarked graves and at least 150 sunken or otherwise unmarked burials. She told the council the cemetery lost records in a decades-old fire and that preservation work will require archival research, mapping and physical restoration.
Rouse estimated the project would take two to three years and cost roughly $75,000. She asked the city to consider a one-time $3,500 contribution for a historic-marker sign and an annual commitment of $15,000 in year one and $10,000 in years two and three, plus in-kind access to city resources where possible to lower costs.
Raina Wicker, identified in testimony as a church trustee and descendant of people buried at the site, emphasized safety concerns including unstable headstones, fallen limbs and uneven ground and urged the council to support an effort to improve access and safety for visiting families.
Council members acknowledged the historical significance and said the matter is appropriate for budget consideration. "It's a good time for us to be able to discuss that through our budget work session," one council member said; officials asked the presenters to provide contact information and promised to consider funding during upcoming budget work sessions.
The council did not vote on funding at the meeting; staff said the cemetery request will be considered during the municipal budget process.
