A central life cycle event in every community is that of burial and the attendant observances that follow such as upkeep of cemeteries. Segregation even at death was a part of both the years before and after the Civil War.

Southside Cemetery
This burial ground was a primary site for funerals of slaves well before 1865. It was established on land owned (and later donated) by the Smith-McDowell Family. It continued to be a family burial ground until its closure in 1930’s. It is believed that there are over 6,000 graves in the two-acre site, including that of George Avery who had been enslaved by the McDowell Family. Mr. Avery went on to be the primary caretaker of the cemetery. Oral traditions state that Mr. Avery was encouraged by the McDowell family to join Stoneman’s Army when they marched through town and reach the Union forces in Tennessee so he would be able to receive a Union pension. In the past twenty years, the cemetery has seen a surge in community involvement for its maintenance and historical interpretations.

Riverside Cemetery
Established as a cemetery in 1885, its original charter states that it is a cemetery for White Christians. Consequently, burial plots for African Americans and Jews are on the periphery of the main area.