The public is invited to attend Red Bank Cemetery’s inaugural “Decoration Day” on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Inspired by the annual Decoration Days that have long been celebrated in Southern Appalachian community cemeteries and beyond, this gathering at Red Bank will provide families the opportunity to pay their respects while allowing the public to learn about local history, officials said.
Family members with loved ones buried at the cemetery are encouraged to decorate their ancestors’ graves with donated white carnations from 10-11 a.m.
During this time, members of the public can explore the history of the nearly 200-year-old cemetery or share their knowledge with the Red Bank Citizens Cemetery Advisory Board.
Starting at 11 a.m., there will be a brief program followed by a flag-raising ceremony. Attendees are welcome to bring their own brunch or lunch picnic food in the spirit of a traditional Decoration Day. The formal activities will conclude by 1 p.m.
Cemetery Advisory Board chairman Sal Arrigo believes the day's activities will be enriching for those interested in Red Bank. “People in any given community don’t usually think about their local cemetery. In Red Bank, Tennessee, the opposite is true,” he said. “Honoring those who envisioned the creation of a community and improved life for its citizens is a great reason to attend the Decoration Day event. Come and learn more about your history, your people, and rediscover this time capsule.”
The cemetery is located just a few feet across and up a steep hill from Morrison Springs Road, between Hardee’s and Oakland Terrace. Attendees are invited to park at the Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church at 115 Morrison Springs Road, and enter the cemetery, which is a short distance across Oakland Terrace and up a small hill. Signs and volunteers will be present to direct visitors.
The cemetery contains graves dating back to the 1830s and is the burial place of long-established community families such as the Hartmans, Plumlees, Sligers and others. It also hosts the remains of both Union and Confederate Civil War veterans, as well as Susan Hartman, who named the community Red Bank.