Yhistory
HISTORY OF THE "Y" HIGHWAY CEMETERY
By Bill Nesbitt
The subject Cemetery was established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
in 1957 in preparation for the developement of the present Tablerock Lake
Resevoir. The Cemetery, originally called "The New Cape Fair Cemetery",
was for reinternment by the Corps. of eleven existing Cemeteries located
along the James River Valley area. The responsibility of the New Cape Fair
Cemetery was assigned by the Corps to three trustees of the Cape Fair Community
namely Mssrs. Orie Carney, Ernest Stone and Howard Foster. By mid 1986
newly arrived residents along the "Y" Hwy, recognized the existence of
the cemetery. It's maintenance had been ignored, it was fully overgrown
and practically invisible. The one remaining Trustee, Mr. Foster, agreed
to transfer, by quit claim deed, trusteeship to three new trustees, residing
on the "Y" Highway. This was transacted on 5-5-87. Resident Volunteers
along the "Y" Highway cleaned the cemetery and periodically continued maintenance.
A Cemetery Association was later formed, a constitution drafted and registered
at the Galena Stone County Court House on 7-18-00. Of the Eleven Cemeteries
represented, a total of 390 burial sites are registered, of which 190 are
unknown. When original head stones were available they were transferred
along with the rein- turnments. All unknown sites were marked with wooden
markers. These were painted white with the word "Unknown" stenciled in
black letters. These have since decayed with only two preserved, representing
all others. Many of the burials represent local pioneer families, dating
back to the mid 1800's, including three Civil War and one Mexican War Veterans.
The "Y" Highway Associaton purpose is to provide the maintenance and preservation
of the Cemetery as a Registered Historical Site. Y-HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION
8-28-2000.
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