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DPW > Environmental > Prevention & Compliance > Cultural Resources > Cemeteries 
Cemeteries
Historic Cemeteries at Fort Stewart
Proclamation of Support, March 2011 
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| Bragg Cemetery in 1900 (above) & today (below) |
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As you drive through the Fort Stewart Military Reservation you will notice that the Installation has a lot of old cemeteries, marked by brown signs. These cemeteries are now the only visible signs that mark the locations of former villages, churches, and individual homesteads that existed before the military arrived in 1940. When the Army acquired Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield it also acquired these cemeteries, with the exception of Lincoln Memorial Cemetery at Hunter Army Airfield, which is still privately owned and operated.
In fact, Fort Stewart has at least 57 known cemeteries and Hunter Army Airfield has five. The sizes of these cemeteries range from the largest cemetery, Taylors Creek, with 424 marked graves, to Durrence Cemetery, with no marked graves. The oldest marked grave at Fort Stewart is at Gaulden Cemetery and dates to 1820.
An Army Reserve unit conducted the first comprehensive cemetery survey in the 1960s. CRM conducted another comprehensive survey of on-post cemeteries in the late 1990s, which included detailed hand-drawn maps of the cemeteries, assessment and analysis forms for individual gravestones. The surveyor also photographed nearly all the cemeteries and headstones. As of last count there are 62 known cemeteries at both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. This number is revised as more cemeteries are discovered at the Installations.
The Army, subject to available resources, is dedicated to the preservation of these cemeteries on the military reservation. The Installation carefully maintains the grounds and fencing of these cemeteries, and Soldiers are not allowed to train within 200 feet of any cemetery.
Cemetery Council
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| Cemetery Council Visit to Rimes Cemetery, 2007 |
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The Fort Stewart Cemetery Council was organized in 1993 at the direction of Major General Paul E. Blackwell, Commanding General of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Stewart, and has since served as a forum for relatives and friends of people interred at both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.
The Council promotes a better understanding of the rules and regulations regarding the cemeteries, and preserves the historical memory of the communities once standing at Fort Stewart. One member, Mr. Wyman May, has even published a new Fort Stewart cemetery survey. Council members such as Mr. May have contributed greatly to our understanding of early twentieth century life in the Fort Stewart area.
The Cemetery Council meets twice a year, usually in November and April, to visit historic Fort Stewart cemeteries and sites. Typically, Cemetery Council tours usually occur on Thursdays and last all day. Lunches are served during the tour and eaten picnic-style. Tours are open to the public and if you wish to participate, please contact the Fort Stewart PAO office.
Visiting Cemeteries on Fort Stewart
To visit a cemetery on the Installation please contact the Fort Stewart PAO office.
- (912) 435-9950 Fort Stewart
- (912) 315-3739 Hunter Army Airfield
Fort Stewart Cemetery Database: A Genealogy & Research Tool
This database lists all known burial sites at Fort Stewart and is presented to the public for genealogy and other types of historical research. The database includes names, dates of birth and death recorded on gravestones, and at which cemetery the individual is buried. To enter the database click Fort Stewart Cemetery Database.
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