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Cemeteries at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield
When the Army acquired Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield it also acquired cemeteries that had been previously established on the properties. The Army, subject to available resources, is dedicated to the preservation of the cemeteries on the military reservation.
There are 27 cemeteries mentioned in individual and church deeds from the 1940s transferring property rights to the government. However, many cemeteries (including the Taylors Creek Cemetery -- one of the larger cemeteries on post) are not mentioned in deeds. This makes it difficult to determine the exact number of cemeteries at Fort Stewart, particularly family cemeteries that feature only a few graves, many with no permanent markers.
In the 1960s, an Army Reserve unit undertook a survey of all known cemeteries on Fort Stewart. CRM conducted another comprehensive survey of on-post cemeteries in the late 1990s. As of last count there are 62 known cemeteries at both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. One of these cemeteries, Lincoln Memorial Cemetery at Hunter Army Airfield, is still privately owned and operated.
Bragg Baptist Church Cemetery, circa 1900
Bragg Baptist Church Cemetery in 1999
Fort Stewart Cemetery Council
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, once in the Spring and once in the Fall, 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.
Fort Stewart Cemetery Database
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: Fort Stewart Cemetery Database.
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