Thomas E. Wooten - Maple Hill Cemetery Arch - Helena, Arkansas - Citizen Memorials on Waymarking.com

Summary

Maple Hill Cemetery, the largest cemetery in Helena, contains 37.10 acres and is located to the north of the city on the eastern side of Crowley's Ridge. Of these 37.10 acres 28.5 acres are included in the nomination. The boundary encompasses the historic sections of the cemetery in which the contributing features date from 1865 until 1950. Within the historic sections, the most prominent features date from the Victorian to early twentieth-century eras. Bordering the cemetery are Holly Street to the east, a residential neighborhood to the south, Magnolia Cemetery to the west and St. Mary Cemetery to the north. The surrounding cemeteries while historic, do not employ the same use of the landscape, nor do they contain equivalent numbers of high-styled monuments. Located within the nomination boundary is the Helena Confederate Cemetery (NR listed 5/3/96). Section 6 of the cemetery is not included within the nomination boundary, because it contains no burials to date.

Entrance Gate and Fence

One enters the cemetery through ornate wrought iron gates attached to large granite posts. Mrs. E. E. Pillow gave the Pillow Memorial Gates, which were dedicated in May 1914. Above the gates is a wrought iron span with the inscription, "MAPLE HILL CEMETERY/ 1865," given in memory of Thomas E. Wooten in 1975. The date 1865 reflects to the founding date of the tract of land rather than the incorporation date of the Maple. Hill Cemetery Company. A cast iron fence encloses the eastern and northern edges of the cemetery. A simple metal fence bounds the southern and western edges of the cemetery.