Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
12-2013
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
History
Committee Chair
Vivian, Daniel J. F.
Author's Keywords
Cemetery; Public education; History; Microhistory; Preservation; Domestic cemetery
Subject
Cemeteries--Kentucky--Louisville; Sepulchral monuments--Kentucky--Louisville
Abstract
Historic cemeteries and graveyards hold the history of the people and community in which they were built. The inscriptions, iconography, and epitaphs on gravemarkers provide insight into the family, religion, social status, and culture of those interred within a specific cemetery or graveyard. They are primary resources for historical research, as some of the information on a gravemarker may not be found anywhere else. Few scholars have recognized the value of small domestic graveyards, which typically have fewer interments and tend to be more isolated in location. For these reasons, domestic graveyards are the most fragile and their preservation is vital. This thesis argues for the preservation of historic cemeteries for their role as a historic research tool as well as an educational tool. Furthermore, a case study uses the Farnsley Cemetery, a domestic cemetery in southwest Jefferson County, Kentucky, to illuminate community history.
Recommended Citation
Darr, Savannah Leigh 1985-, "Discovering domestic cemeteries : history, preservation, and education." (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 311.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/311
