The City of Hartsville, with the assistance of the ODDC SCGS, has begun a project to restore and preserve the historic Marion Avenue Cemetery located within the Hartsville city limits. The cemetery (established as a private entity) dates from 1904 and was a primary burial site for African – Americans for the first half of the 20th century. Numerous prominent Hartsville citizens and veterans were buried here prior to the establishment of Greenlawn Cemetery by the City of Hartsville. In recent years, with the original trustees deceased, the cemetery gradually fell into disuse and neglect. Vegetation overran the area and many local residents were unaware that the cemetery even existed.

For several years Councilwoman Adlena Graham led the efforts to preserve this historic cemetery. In 2015 the City asked the Chicora Foundation to undertake a study of the cemetery and make recommendations for its restoration and preservation. Using the resulting Chicora study as guidance, Hartsville City Council established a committee to increase local awareness, document burials, and to raise funding for the restoration and preservation of the cemetery.

Members of the ODDC SCGS led a cemetery workshop in September at the cemetery site and are currently documenting unmarked graves within the cemetery by the systematic use of death certificates and obituaries. Information and photographs concerning this project can be found on the City of Hartsville link:  Historic Marion Avenue Cemetery .

By choosing this link one can navigate to a webpage with additional facts, photographs of the cemetery, a link to the Chicora study, and information about making a tax deductible donation for the restoration and preservation of the Marion Avenue Cemetery.