The Tennessee Historical Commission has awarded 31 grants from the federal Historic Preservation Fund to community and civic organizations for projects that support the preservation of historic and archaeological resources.
“Tennessee’s treasured historic places make our state unique and contribute to our quality of life,” said Patrick McIntyre, state historic preservation officer and executive director of the Tennessee Historical Commission. “These grants will help protect the sites for future generations to study and enjoy.”
Awarded annually, 60 percent of the project funds are from the federal Historic Preservation Fund and 40 percent of project funds come from the grantee. The Tennessee Historical Commission reviewed 55 applications, with funding requests totaling approximately $1.2 million, nearly double the amount of funding available.
This year’s selection includes building and archaeological surveys, design guidelines for historic districts, rehabilitation of historic buildings, posters highlighting the state’s archaeology, and training for historic zoning staff or commissioners.
The town of Alexandria received $5,400 to fund the restoration of the National Register listed Seay Chapel and East View Cemetery.
“Now that we’ve got the grant, we need to make sure what we do meets the contractual agreements involved,” said Alexandria Mayor Bennett Armstrong. “We have repairs on the stone fence at the cemetery and work to do on the Chapel. It’s amazing how much history there is here, and we really need some help with volunteers and donations to look after it.  There is a cedar tree down in the cemetery and we have some headstones that need to be up righted. There’s history in there from 1880 on up, that’s 7-8 generations worth and we don’t have the manpower to currently to maintain it. We’re working now with some folks but need more.”
If you’re interested in becoming involved with this community project, you can contact the mayor via city hall in Alexandria at (615) 529-2171. If you know of a group that might want to even give information about restoration of the grounds you’re encouraged to help the town of Alexandria make the most of their restoration efforts.
One of the Commission’s grant priorities is for projects that are in Certified Local Governments, a program that allows communities to participate closely in the federal historic preservation program. Seven Certified Local Government communities were awarded grants this year. Additional priorities include those that meet the goals and objectives of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s plan for historic preservation. Properties that use the restoration grants must be listed in the National Register.
According to the Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University the Alexandria Cemeteries Historic District is located at the end of Cemetery Street in Alexandria, TN. The district includes the Seay Chapel African-American United Methodist Church, the East View (White) cemetery and the African-American cemetery. Of these, the East View Cemetery is oldest, dating to 1836 or earlier. It contains the remains of both Federal and Confederate veterans of the Civil War.
Seay Chapel was established in 1869 on land deeded by the city of Alexandria for construction of an African-American church, school and cemetery. The original Seay Chapel building was replaced in 1931 with a new building that features rock-faced masonry. W.E.B. Dubois attended the church while serving as a teacher at the nearby Wheeler School during his undergraduate years at Fisk University. His experience there was described in his book, Souls of Black Folk.