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Health & Fitness

Repair To Ms. Emily's Gravesite At Decatur Cemetery

A city with a high regard for preserving its ancestry possesses a high standard for its future.

A 160-year-old gravesite of the "forever young" Ms. Emily Pittman in Decatur Cemetery is receiving some restoration and repair courtesy of the Decatur Preservation Alliance.

Local Blacksmith Ray Bowen has been contracted by The Friends of the Decatur Cemetery to repair the cast iron gate surrounding the tomb of Ms. Emily. Emily died young at the age of 21 and is a descendant to some of Decatur's first land owners. Not much is known about her, but her gravesite is a monument to a cherished young southern lady.

The Decatur Cemetery is the oldest burial ground in Metro Atlanta and Decatur's largest green-space. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Confederate soldiers, politicians, musicians, doctors, authors, and poets.

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The cemetery also serves as a peaceful retreat for those with blood still pumping like walkers, runners and southern history enthusiasts.

The cast iron door and name plaque has temporarily been in the hands of Ray Bowen in his shop Invictus Forge and saw the light of day for the first time on Thursday since last summer for a fitting review with Friends of Decatur Cemetery member, Victor Donham. 

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The door will return to Ray's shop to reattach the name plate and finishing before final installation. Ray expects to be complete by next week.

Stop by Ms. Emily's site with the Friends of Decatur Cemetery this Sunday at 2:30 p.m. for the first "Cemetery Stroll" of the season that continues through October.

For a recap on my visit to Ray's shop last August as he began the work on Ms. Emily's gate door please visit A Thrift Life

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