THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605160193
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
There is a place where Suffolk's history is etched in stone.
Just a few yards away from North Main Street, the city's busiest thoroughfare, is the quiet serenity of Cedar Hill Cemetery where tombstones tell stories of Suffolk's past.
``Sometimes, I find an excuse to go there to get a date off a grave,'' said Sue Woodward, a vice president of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society, ``but I really like it. I like to take people to see it and realize what a treasure we have. It's like finding another history book.''
On Sunday at 4 p.m., the historical society will observe National Preservation Week by inviting local citizens to spend ``An Afternoon in Cedar Hill.''
Woodward will lead the group and promises that even those who have been to Cedar Hill Cemetery many times before ``will be shown things they've never seen.''
A native of Winton, N.C., Woodward has embraced Suffolk and its history and is eager to share her knowledge with others.
``For people who are new in town and for some who have been here for awhile, it's an unknown place,'' Woodward said. ``We think they should discover it because it's so beautiful and historic.''
Participants will enter the cemetery through the main entrance where traffic will be directed to the group's meeting place. Woodward will talk about the cemetery's history, and those with their own stories to tell about the cemetery will be invited to share them. Then small groups will be formed, given a map, and sent on a scavenger hunt.
Items to search for may be the cemetery's only metal tombstone or those with CSA (Confederate States of America) carved on them. Or they may be asked to find the headstone from the 1800s that a tree trunk has partially encompassed over the years.
``There are beautiful life-size statues of women and angels,'' Woodward said. ``Cherubs and lambs were often seen on children's graves as so many infants died during the 19th century. However, there is a growing problem with vandalism and many have been taken.''
The burial ground, which was once part of the Constantia Farm, was purchased by the Town of Suffolk in 1802 and was first known as Green Hill Cemetery. It is the final resting place of a lieutenant governor, a speaker of the House of Delegates, a president of the Garden Club of Virginia, a three-star general, educators, and many who served in the armed forces during the Civil War and conflicts that followed.
``One of my goals is for people to know so much about the old city that you don't have to worry about it being written down because people will pass it along,'' Woodward said.
After the tour, light refreshments will be served. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
A giant tree grave marker will be featured on ``An Afternoon in
Cedar Hill.''
An ornate angel marks an old grave at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Life-size
statues of women and angels are a common sight in the cemetery.
AT A GLANCE
What: In observance of National Preservation Week,
Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society is sponsoring a walking tour,
``An Afternoon in Cedar Hill. The tour lasts about 1 1/2 hours.
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Cedar Hill Cemetery, 300 block of North Main St.
Details: Participants will be given directions at the gate.
by CNB