Kennesaw Cemetery lies on the property of camp McDonald, a former confederate training ground for Georgia volunteers. Many of the city’s founding fathers are buried in the Kennesaw Cemetery. The exact date that the Kennesaw Cemetery was established is not known, but the earliest know burial dates back to 1863.
The earliest known burial is the infant Lucius B. Summers, who was interred in 1863. Other grave markers date as far back as the 1860’s to the 1890’s. The Shumway family is said to have donated a one-acre tract to the town for burial purposes before 1891, but town records prior to that date do not exist, and there is no deed for the conveyance on record at the Cobb County Courthouse.
This original tract possibly began to reach capacity by the turn of the century, because the town purchased an additional 4 1/2 acres in December of 1900. This included the Shumway’s one-acre portion, which was sold to the town for $100. This new part of the cemetery was designed in 32-foot square lots which sold in 1901 for $6 each. The price per lot was raised to $10 in 1913. An additional tract of approximately one-half acre was acquired for the cemetery in 1903.
L.C. Chalker purchased a 1 1/4-acre tract of land adjacent to the Kennesaw Cemetery from J.W. Ellis in 1934, which was sold for burial purposes as well. Chalker purchased another acre adjacent to the first parcel in 1948, which was also to be used for a cemetery. The Cemetery is still in use today.
Lots are available for sale. Prices per lot are $1,000 for City residents and $1,500 for non-residents. For additional information about the City Cemetery, or to purchase a lot, please contact the City Clerk.
If you are interested in learning more about how to help preserve the history of the cemetery, please call 770-424-8274.