Clemson University Working to Preserve Grave Sites
University engaging local communities to protect graves
Clemson University is working to protect and preserve 15 off-campus sites where an undetermined number of graves are located on some of the 33,000 acres of property the school owns and manages across South Carolina.
The grave sites are located at several different locations in the state, with some locations comprised of multiple sites. The number of grave sites as well as the number of graves within them is expected to increase as the University continues its research and conducts surveys of the land.
The school’s priority is preserving and protecting these sites while engaging local communities in identifying the graves and understanding who might be buried there.
The University knows some of the gravesites were once family cemeteries and others were church cemeteries, and while some have been maintained by nearby churches in the past, none are currently operational. Additionally, many of the grave sites are located within heavily forested areas and some of the sites have head stones and other markers designating the graves, but many are not marked. Both of which make discovery difficult.
The University is seeking historical and genealogical information from surrounding communities and researchers as it develops policies and procedures related to the management of these sites. Clemson is dedicating the necessary resources to identify and protect these historic and sacred sites, while working to maintain or create public access to each site where feasible.
