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Gunn Family Cemetery One Year Later: Now Next to a Strip Mall

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In February 2008, I posted about the destruction at Gunn Family Cemetery in Centerville, Houston County, Georgia. At one time, this cemetery was in the woods. Time (progress?) eventually brought it out into the open, and the land surrounding it was stripped. You can ready the original post here --> Destruction at Gunn Family Cemetery.

I pass by this cemetery often enough, and I have been keeping my eye on it for the past year. So far, a strip mall has been built right next to the little cemetery. A short wall was built around the raised land of the cemetery, and there are KEEP OUT signs posted around it. The stones are still in bad shape.

I went by today and took some photos. I did not climb up to see for sure, but it looks like all the broken markers that were strewn around are gone.

There is a real estate sign in front of this would-be shopping plaza, so I wonder if there are even any renters of the spaces.

I'm thankful the cemetery wasn't moved or bulldozed over, but I don't think there are going to be many buyers with it looking the way it does. Who knows. I might be wrong.

I do believe this strip mall is only the beginning. There is too much open land behind it for it to stand alone for very long.

Below is the original video I took last year and included with the original post. Below that are some photos I took today.






Thanks goes to the GraveMappers blog! The post, That's a Strange Place for a Cemetery, reminded me about our little Gunn graveyard.

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Comments

JoLyn said…
Doesn't this little cemetery make you sad? Hopefully someone can get permission to do some restoration work - you'd think if it became a quaint little place instead of an eyesore, it would be good business for the developer! Thanks for watching over it - is there any chance they would allow you in to get transcriptions and map the graves?
February 10, 2009 at 11:11 AM
S. Lincecum said…
I transcribed what I could find, piece together, and read last year. That information is here on the Southern Graves site. Never thought about mapping it. Might give it a shot!
February 10, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Dustan Gunn said…
Quite frankly, I'm very disturbed and highly steamed. I'm a decendant of Daniel Gunn. He is my 4x great grandfather. I CANT BELIEVE THIS HAS HAPPENED, this is all kinds of wrong. Please tell me the grave site is still there, and that I havnt discovered this too late? Please contact me by email at xatugr@yahoo.com if you have any newer information regaurding this gravesite.
April 5, 2012 at 1:49 AM
S. Lincecum said…
The gravesite is still there. I usually drive by from time to time and always look over to make sure. Haven't been by in a while, though, so I'll make a point to check up on it. If I notice anything new, I'll email you.
April 5, 2012 at 7:06 AM
Dustan Gunn said…
Thank You Stephanie,
I have been in contact with several departments from the city and state. The city is currently looking into several things for me. Hopefully I will hear back from them soon.
April 14, 2012 at 1:56 AM
Anonymous said…
Hello does anyone know who currently owns the land this cemetery is on? Thank you
May 25, 2015 at 1:39 PM
Anonymous said…
Now it is overgrown, no one is taking care of it. It is so sad.
July 11, 2015 at 10:57 AM
Shiloh Caretaker said…
As of 12/18/2015, Shiloh Cemetery Restoration Corporation, a non-profit Corporation, has begun the restoration of the Gunn Family Cemetery located at 3421 North Highway 41, Warner Robins, Ga. For information on the project please call 478-334-3772
December 20, 2015 at 10:55 AM
S. Lincecum said…
So happy to see this!
December 20, 2015 at 1:32 PM
ron bohnstedt said…
if you have any questions about the future of the Gunn Family Cemetery
please contact Ron...478-334-3772 (caretaker)
February 16, 2016 at 6:21 AM
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SouthernGraves.blogspot.com

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)