Historical society to put on unique fundraiser

Pioneer Cemetery on West Fourth Street is the oldest in Fulton. In September, the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society will host tours of the cemetery as a fundraiser.
Pioneer Cemetery on West Fourth Street is the oldest in Fulton. In September, the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society will host tours of the cemetery as a fundraiser.

The Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society has come up with an unusual new way to raise money.

In September, the organization will host tours of Pioneer Cemetery - the oldest in Fulton.

For $5, visitors will receive a one-hour tour of the cemetery featuring the stories of some of the individuals buried there. Tours will start at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 30. Each tour will be limited to 20 people.

"They will walk around and there will be people talking about five or six people actually buried there," said KCHS Director Barbara Huddleston. "After the tours they can go to the John C. Harris Community Center and have refreshments and ask questions, and there will be displays with more information (about the cemetery and its occupants)."

Historical society member Paul Johnson, who was named as an Honorary Callawegian in October 2011 for his work on mapping local cemeteries, will have his map of the Pioneer Cemetery at the community center after the tours as well.

According to a recent Kingdom Notes article, the Pioneer Cemetery - located on West Fourth Street near the community center - was started with the burial of George Nichols in 1829. Nichols had sold 50 acres of his land to the county judges (now the commissioners) to establish the town of Fulton. He lived on the west edge of Fulton, and was buried on his property in 1829. That site later became the "city cemetery," then the "old cemetery" and finally the "Pioneer Cemetery.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.