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Historic Rose Hill Cemetery Faces Funding Crisis, City and County Consider Joint Rescue Plan

Issue #409

April 15, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

☀️ Columbia’s Weather - Sunny with high of 65 & low of 39

📰 Historic Rose Hill Cemetery Faces Funding Crisis, City and County Consider Joint Rescue Plan

🚒 Maury County Firefighters Battle Two Fires Back-to-Back

📌 April 24: Upstairs Downtown Columbia Main Street Tour

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Tuesday, April 15th

Wednesday, April 16th

Thursday, April 17th

Friday, April 18th

Saturday, April 19th

Sunday, April 20th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

Historic Rose Hill Cemetery Faces Funding Crisis, City and County Consider Joint Rescue Plan

Credit: Charlie C.

One of Columbia's oldest and most historic cemeteries, Rose Hill Cemetery, is currently facing significant funding challenges for seasonal lawn maintenance, prompting the city to explore a partnership with Maury County to help preserve its future.

Established in 1853, the 40-acre cemetery includes gravesites of American Revolution veterans and is currently in need of mowing and maintenance, especially after recent severe weather. However, the upkeep cost—about $80,000 annually—has become increasingly difficult to meet.

Last week, the Maury County Health & Safety Committee discussed a potential funding partnership between the city and county for both Rose Hill and the adjacent 20-acre African American Rosemount Cemetery. The proposal involves a one-year agreement to provide necessary lawn care, with the city and county each contributing $56,000 to meet the $112,000 total estimate.

The cemetery’s current caretakers, who have stretched limited funds through several years via fundraisers, donations, and sponsorships, now have only about $20,000 remaining in their budget. The situation has raised concerns about the long-term future of both cemeteries, especially if the organizations overseeing them are forced to dissolve. In that case, the properties could revert to the state as abandoned, closing them off to future burials and family visits.

City leaders, including members of Columbia City Council, are advocating for a unified solution and exploring other potential funding sources, such as grant opportunities and the use of hotel/motel tax revenue, citing the cemeteries’ role in local heritage tourism.

The proposal received strong support from the Health & Safety Committee and now heads to the Maury County Budget Committee and the full County Commission for final approval. However, concerns were raised about using taxpayer dollars to support nonprofits and whether approving this funding might set a precedent for other cemeteries seeking similar help.

Despite these concerns, officials emphasized the importance of protecting the cemeteries, both for historical preservation and out of respect for the families with loved ones buried there. There is also interest in clearly defining this as a one-year solution, allowing time to develop a more sustainable, long-term funding plan.

Maury County Firefighters Battle Two Fires Back-to-Back

From Maury County Fire Department’s post…

On Thursday (April 10th) at 11:30am units were dispatched to Chestnut Ridge Rd in the Theta Community for a brush fire threatening structures. Responding units: Squad 21 and Engine 21. 

RAGSDALE ROAD INCIDENT:

As Engine 21 was responding north through Santa Fe a structure fire on Ragsdale Rd was dispatched. Engine 21 was passing the road as the call was dispatched and they quickly turned around, arriving on scene in less than one minute. On arrival they found a home with smoke showing from the front door and stretched a hand line. The two personnel on the engine quickly made entry and found heavy fire shooting from an air return and extending down the hallway. The fire was extinguished and a second line was pulled underneath the home to extinguish the remaining crawl space fire. Due to less than 5 personnel responding to the house fire, a mutual aid request to Spring Hill Fire Department was made for an Engine Company and a Chief Officer. We appreciated their prompt response. Responding units to this incident: Engine 21, Tankers 32, 23, 26, SHFD Engine 61, Battalion 60, Chief 60 and 61.  

The cause of the fire was a commercially made “rodent smoke bomb” that when lit, emits enough heat to burn combustibles, which in this case was spray foam insulation in the crawl space. 

CHESTNUT RIDGE INCIDENT: on arrival of Squad 21 with one VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, a pile of trash, several large trees, and the underside of a shed was on fire which was 5 feet from a brand new home. Civilians on scene were requested to help the one FF by pulling the hand line while the FF pumped the truck. Without the quick action and willingness of civilians on scene to take action the incident would have quickly grown much larger.

April 24: Upstairs Downtown Columbia Main Street Tour

Columbia Main Street invites you to the Upstairs Downtown Tour — a one-night-only event where you’ll explore some of downtown's unique spaces!

Thursday, April 24 | 5:00–8:30 PM

Start at the Visit Columbia Welcome Center (713 N Main St)

$30 per adult — ticket sales close April 22 at 4 PM

Enjoy:

Exclusive access to six upstairs spaces (from retail to office to hotel)
Sample local cuisine & drink
Live demos & local history 

This is a self-guided tour — location details revealed when your adventure begins! This is popular event so tag your friends and purchase a ticket online before they run out!! 

Please note: All attendees must be able to climb stairs. No elevator access is available.

Proceeds from this tour support downtown wayfinding signage & future design projects by Columbia Main Street. 

Grab your tickets now and experience the charm above/down-and-all-around our historic downtown!

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Tuesday, April 15th

Rob Harris, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Austin Byrd, Rebel Bar & Grill, 6:00 PM

Wednesday, April 16th

Austin Byrd, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Thursday, April 17th

Darin & Brooke Aldridge - Swanky Southern Nights LIVE, The Mulehouse, 6:30 PM
Troy Catellano, Puckett’s, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Beatles 4 Sale, McCreary’s Irish Pub, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Friday, April 18th

Cole Ritter Band, Puckett’s, 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Rett Stocstill, Buck & Board, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Tom Saffell & Robert Johnson, McCreary’s Irish Pub, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Rayla Ray, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Saturday, April 19th

Brunch With Miles Damaso Group, Puckett’s, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Courtyard Jazz & Cigars, The Mulehouse, 2:45 PM 
Gospel Jam, Pleasant Mt. Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 5:00 PM
Music on the Ridge, Amber Falls Winery, 3:00 - 7:00 PM
The Nature Project, Buck & Board, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Def Leprechaun Band, McCreary’s Irish Pub, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Hobo Cane, Puckett’s, 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Scotty Morton, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Sunday, April 20th

Music on the Ridge, Amber Falls Winery, 1:00 - 5:00 PM

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