Upcoming Event

"Restoring Old St. John's Cemetery in Kilmarnock"

Tuesday, 4/22/2025

Many years ago, Old St. John's Baptist Church owned a cemetery off Harris Road in Kilmarnock. Old St. John's closed, and the building was demolished. The cemetery was deeded to the four churches that spun off from Old St. John's: Calvary Baptist in Kilmarnock, New St. John's Baptist in Kilmarnock, Mt. Vernon Baptist in White Stone, and Sharon Baptist in Weems. Each of those four churches has its own cemetery, and over the years, the Old St. John's Cemetery (OSJC) fell into disrepair. In recent years, there have been efforts to restore the cemetery and give dignity to those buried there.

On April 22, several speakers will discuss the cemetery restoration project and how you can help. 

-Joanna Green, Archaeologist: Cemetery Preservation, Virginia Department of Historic Resources (remote broadcast)

-Francine Hunter: Ms. Hunter will share what work has been done and what needs to be done at OSJC (in person) 

-Brenda Campbell: Ms. Campbell will share a historical overview of the cemetery and the people buried there, from her perspective as a funeral director (in person) 

Join us at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 6749 Jessie duPont Highway, Burgess, on Tuesday, April 22nd, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. All are welcome!