Perkerson Civic Association

Roseland Cemetery

[Website Under Construction]

 

 

Website Link: Roseland Cemetery

 

Roseland Cemetery History

The history that we have is provided to us by Mr. Bill Gazaway and Mrs. Gwen Gazaway, the Roseland Cemetery Volunteers, Inc. and the Atlanta Journal & Atlanta Constitution newspapers as well as a compilation of various websites. 

 

Roseland is one of Atlanta's oldest cemeteries. We know that Roseland Cemetery was established around or about  1914 to 1920. The first lots went on sale around 1926. It was the burial site for many in the Jewish faith and later members of the Protestant faith. Also, we know that Roseland Cemetery is a cemetery that was abandoned by whoever owned it, and the company was dissolved so there is no owner. Roseland Cemetery predates the cemetery laws of perpetuity, and unfortunately it was allowed to become overgrown with weeds, broken grave headstones, criminal activity, etc.

 

Roseland Cemetery covers more than 7 and 1/4 acres. The elevation level is 264 meters.

 

This was another cemetery in the community affected by the building of the Cleveland Avenue I-85 Interchange.

 

ROSELAND CEMETERY LOCATION

Roseland Cemetery is located at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue in Southwest Atlanta and I-85 South Exit & Entrance next to the Texaco Mart Center and across from the Fulton County School Board headquarters. The exact boundaries are as follows: (Just east of the East Point City Limits) on the north side of the street, just to the west and right next to Interstate 85  Highway (south-bound exit ramp).  Adjacent to and just east of the Southbound Exit ramp of Interstate 85 on Cleveland Avenue in the City Limits of Atlanta.

 

Roseland Cemetery's physical location is actually in the City of Atlanta,  with the entrance to the cemetery being physically in the City of Atlanta. The confusion has been caused by the old city boundaries in that part being part City of Atlanta and part East Point. However, the municipality to contact in regards to permits to cut trees, permits and police services are under the City of Atlanta's jurisdiction.

 

Cemetery Caretakers

Roseland Cemetery Volunteers Association, Inc. is the name of the non-profit organization founded by Mr. Bill Gazaway and Mrs. Gwen Gazaway  to cleanup and restore the old and abandoned Roseland Cemeter. We owe a huge amount of gratitude and respect for two people who took this task on in their senior years. Sadly they have passed---Mrs. Gazaway passed in 2009 and Mr. Gazaway passed in 2006. Both of them had full lives, yet took the time to work to bring Roseland Cemetery bring Roseland Cemetery back to a respectful condition.

 

Mr. Bill Gazaway was one of the NASCAR legends. He was always quite frank with you, and you could count on him to follow through on what he wanted to do. Mrs. Gazaway was a professional artist, and very active in the arts community. It was always fun talking to Mr. and Mrs. Gazaway about their stories of what they found in their restoration work of Roseland Cemetery. They were married for more than 50 years.      Website for Legends of NASCAR

 

We will be working with the Roseland Cemetery Volunteers Association, Inc. to keep moving on the work that was started by the Gazaways and the friends and volunteers of Roseland Cemetery.

 

Work Done By Volunteers to Bring Cemetery Back From Abandoned & Neglected State

• Was overgrown with trees, weeds, etc., which volunteers cut down a little over 1/2 of the trees off  but needs much more cutting down of trees off the back, and restoring the road around it.
• Lots of trash had to be picked up and removed from the cemetery.
• Lots of broken concrete where grave headstones had been vandalized and broken.
• Lots of broken glass where beer bottles and other alcohol bottles had been used by vagrants hanging out in cemetery.

• Georgia State EPD, Tim Davis, who was wonderful, and got all the 5000 or so old tires removed.

• Damon Johnson, Fulton County Environmental Health, who provided unmeasured assistance in removing old tires.

• Kenneth Thomas of Georgia State Historical Dept., who helped very much, and wrote an article on Roseland Cemetery.

 

Some Surnames of Burials at Roseland Cemetery

Adams, Appling, Anderson, Bracewell, Brown, Burnham, Cain, Casey, Cawthon, Chambers, Cole, Davis, Edwards, Eidson, English, Feldman, Glover, Harris, Head, Heard, Hollums, Jarrett, Jones, Kimbrell, Landrum, McLarin, Meier, Page, Parham, Perry, Petty, Phillips, Rainwater, Reisman, Sabo, Sargent, Smith, Sykes, Truelove, Tyler, Turner, Vaughn, Webb, Wilson

 

 

Information on Jews Buried at Roseland Cemetery

Roseland Cemetery: A visual survey by Rabbi Robert L. Kravitz of Atlanta on April 14, 1983. Reference: Also see Vital Statistics file at (AJA) American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488; phone (513) 221-1875 . (tel) 513-221-7812 (fax). AJA@cn.hc.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Reference: Albert Heishberg papers, 1908-1985 (bulk 1954-1971). Description: .4 linear ft. Notes: The collection consists of papers of Albert Heishberg and the Heishberg family from 1908-1985. & material pertaining to Congregation Ahavath Achim (1954-1985; & and blueprints, correspondence, minutes, and financial records relating to the Roseland Cemetery (Atlanta, Ga.) (1952-1971). Albert Heishberg family papers. Ida Pearle and Joseph Cuba Community Archives, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. Cataloged as part of the Georgia Archives and Manuscripts Automated Access project: A Special Collections Gateway Program of the University Center in Georgia. Location: Ida Pearle and Joseph Cuba Community Archives, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, 1440 Spring Street N.W., Atlanta, Georgia, 30309-2837. Control No.: GAGP96-A791 [December 2000]

 

Cemetery Resources

 

Website Link: Saving Graves

A collaborative effort of cemetery preservation advocates working to increase public awareness and activism in preserving, protecting and restoring endangered and forgotten historic cemeteries worldwide.