City of Vicksburg acquires land for Cedar Hill Cemetery expansion

Published 3:51 pm Monday, October 4, 2021

Cedar Hill Cemetery is getting more land.

The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday approved the conveyance or transfer of three pieces of property on Sky Farm Avenue from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office to the city to enlarge the city’s cemetery.

“We’ve seen a high and significant number of people who are using the cemetery since we rearranged those plots and cost,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said. “A lot of people are buying and making pre-arrangements. Because of that, we need more space.”

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Flaggs said the city is also paving more roads in the cemetery, increasing the number of signs and installing cameras to increase security.

“We’re going to try to move toward making it more automated,” he said. “There’s progress at work in the cemetery.”

The properties, 1617 Sky Farm Ave., 1735 Sky Farm Ave. and 1625 Sky Farm Ave., are adjacent to the southern end of the cemetery. All three properties were not claimed during Warren County tax sales and forfeited to the state.

Under state law, properties that are put up for sale for past due property taxes are transferred to the state if they have not been claimed by the property owner or someone else after three years.

According to the city’s website, Cedar Hill is one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in the U.S. still in use. Its initial plotting was in 1837.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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