August 17, 2010

Simms Family Cemetery, Great Falls, VA

At least the developer admitted that there was a cemetery on the property that was to be developed. That is never a given. But, that's the extent of my acknowledgement.

Because, when you use shoddy materials, they fall down.

When they fall down, they no longer deliniate the boundaries.

When the boundaries aren't marked, sacred spaces tend to disappear.

When our burial grounds disappear, we not only lose our history...we lose a bit of ourselves.

Interior:














Exterior:
























[Source: Google Maps]

Photos taken by Maddy McCoy in April, 2010.
Maddy McCoy
Fairfax County, Virginia
Slavery Inventory Database

3 comments :

  1. Hello Maddy McCoy, I use to live on that property and was born there. My first relatives were the Simms (Maternal side) and I miss it there terribly. (The Old Family Church was right down the street from the land) (Salem Baptist Church) I remember that burial site like it was yesterday, as a child I would continuously play near that grave quarter but also take a minute to pay respects for my past relatives/ancestors. Gosh I really want to go back to that grave site and take a minute to look back on my past and pay respects. The memory is vivid but our family lives on(':

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    Replies
    1. That is fantastic! Thank you for sharing.

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    2. No problem at all, but I have a question. Cause I haven't been on the property in years, do you remember how many headstones or grave markings there were on the grave site?

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