Kelly E. Foster - Cave Cemetery
N 38° 31.596 W 078° 25.289
17S E 724775 N 4267396
Two wooden markers are found in an old mountain family cemetery in Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Waymark Code: WM9VWM
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2010
Views: 2
There are over 100 cemeteries in Shenandoah National Park dating from before the land was claimed by the US government and a park was created in the 1930s. The residents of this mountain were forced to leave, but their family plots remained behind. Over the years, many of these graveyards fell into disrepair and were forgotten as descendants passed. Today, most are abandoned and hard to find as Mother Nature reclaims the land.
A handful of cemeteries are still maintained and remain active on this park land. The Cave Cemetery is one of them. A visit in October 2010 revealed two homemade markers made from 2 x 10 wooden planks. One of the markers bears the inscription:
FOSTER
KELLY E.
INFANT
1995
Nearby is another wooden marker that is inscribed:
BURACKER
BERTHA V.
1923 -1996
There is a metal marker near Kelly Foster which perhaps indicates the possible future plans of the placement of a more permanent marker. Even though the wood marker for Bertha Buracker remains, a granite tombstone has been erected for her directly behind it.
The Cave Cemetery is located on the Rose River Fire Road which is accessible from Fishers Gap where parking is available.