Originally published by On the Grid- East Atlanta
There are 1,400 souls laid to rest throughout Sylvester Cemetery, including 15 Civil War veterans, many prominent members of 19th-century East Atlanta, and Fiddlin’ John Carson, who is widely considered to be the Father of Country and Western Music. While the cemetery was almost totally abandoned in the 1970s, the Sylvester Cemetery Foundation saved this historic site, restoring it to its eerie grandeur. Today, visitors can walk the wooded grounds, examine the intricate headstones, and take monthly guided tours offered by the Foundation. Sylvester Cemetery relies solely on donations made to the foundation via their website.