OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – Three years after stumbling across a forgotten cemetery, the Mountain State Trail Alliance finishes a project aimed at restoring the property.
Trail developers first found the cemetery near the Harlem Heights area of Oak Hill in 2017. On the site are at least 16 graves from the 1950s and 1960s, including those of coal miners, factory workers and veterans.
Volunteers worked to put up fencing, clean the site and install a historical exhibit to restore the property.
“Cemeteries are an important part of our history,” said project manager Billy Strasser. “Everyone knows the importance of preserving cemeteries, but beyond that, there are veterans that are buried there and a lot of other local people who have interesting stories to tell.”
Right now, it’s difficult to get to the cemetery, but volunteers are working to establish a trail for future visitors.
