HISTORY OF THE "Y" HIGHWAY CEMETERY By Bill Nesbitt
The subject Cemetery was established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1957 in preparation for the developement of the present Tablerock Lake Resevoir. The Cemetery, originally called "The New Cape Fair Cemetery", was for reinternment by the Corps. of eleven existing Cemeteries located along the James River Valley area. The responsibility of the New Cape Fair Cemetery was assigned by the Corps to three trustees of the Cape Fair Community namely Mssrs. Orie Carney, Ernest Stone and Howard Foster. By mid 1986 newly arrived residents along the "Y" Hwy, recognized the existence of the cemetery. It's maintenance had been ignored, it was fully overgrown and practically invisible. The one remaining Trustee, Mr. Foster, agreed to transfer, by quit claim deed, trusteeship to three new trustees, residing on the "Y" Highway. This was transacted on 5-5-87. Resident Volunteers along the "Y" Highway cleaned the cemetery and periodically continued maintenance. A Cemetery Association was later formed, a constitution drafted and registered at the Galena Stone County Court House on 7-18-00. Of the Eleven Cemeteries represented, a total of 390 burial sites are registered, of which 190 are unknown. When original head stones were available they were transferred along with the rein- turnments. All unknown sites were marked with wooden markers. These were painted white with the word "Unknown" stenciled in black letters. These have since decayed with only two preserved, representing all others. Many of the burials represent local pioneer families, dating back to the mid 1800's, including three Civil War and one Mexican War Veterans. The "Y" Highway Associaton purpose is to provide the maintenance and preservation of the Cemetery as a Registered Historical Site. Y-HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION 8-28-2000.





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