City of Lawrenceburg Announces Improvements to Mimosa Cemetery

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. – The City of Lawrenceburg is preparing to begin a series of improvements at Mimosa Cemetery to restore and maintain the grounds and create a more welcoming place for families visiting their loved ones.

Over the years, trees and bushes throughout the cemetery have become overgrown, severely damaging some headstones and footstones and completely obscuring others from view. Several grave markers have also deteriorated and are in need of repair.

The city plans to remove overgrown trees and bushes, repair damaged headstones and footstones and restore areas that have become difficult to access. Crews will also clean out the cemetery's drainage system, which has become clogged with years of accumulated debris, clean the streets throughout the cemetery and repair damaged curbs.

As part of the project, ground imaging and aerial imaging have been completed across the entire cemetery, revealing 105 unmarked graves. Using the original Mimosa Cemetery record book, which dates back to 1897, the city will work to identify the individuals buried in these graves. All 105 graves will be marked, and every effort will be made to match them with names from the historical records.

"Mimosa Cemetery is a special place for many families in our community, and we want to make sure it is cared for with the respect it deserves," said Lawrenceburg Mayor Blake Lay. "We know how important it is for families to be able to visit the resting places of their loved ones. These improvements, along with the discovery of the unmarked graves, give us an opportunity to preserve an important part of Lawrenceburg's history."

All improvements will be funded through the Mimosa Fund, without the need for funding from the city's general operating budget.

The city appreciates the community's patience as work gets underway and looks forward to making these much-needed improvements to Mimosa Cemetery.