Monterey’s Whittaker Cemetery has officially been added to the state’s registry of historic cemeteries, recognizing the burial site of the town’s early pioneers.
Volunteer Jessica Gentry said the 4.5-acre property dates back to at least 1853. Gentry said the cemetery contains more than 1,700 graves, including those of veterans, mayors, railroad workers, and miners.
“The land was donated by T.J. Whittaker,” Gentry said. “What it does is this gives it a historical listing on the state’s website through the Tennessee Historical Commission,” Gentry said.
Gentry said she pursued the state listing after seeing similar preservation efforts through the Putnam County Historical Society.
“I had to write a short narrative of the historical significance of the cemetery, and I chose four different people that are buried there,” Gentry said. “But as I’ve been researching through Ancestry.com, there are all kinds of incredible people that are buried there.”
Gentry said the cemetery currently relies on donations from families for mowing and general maintenance. Gentry said the new state designation could eventually open doors for the cemetery to apply for perpetual care grants to assist with upkeep.
“The history is here,” Gentry said. “It’s just a matter of handing it down and passing it down. If you don’t hand it down, it’s going to fall through the cracks.”
Gentry said the site includes many unmarked graves of children who died during early illnesses in the mountains. Gentry said she has used death certificates to identify those buried in the unmarked locations.
“In 10 years, I hope to see that maybe a younger generation would stop by there and recognize that, wow, this is the early pioneer of Monterey that helped donate the land for this whole entire town,” Gentry said.
Gentry said the cemetery is as historically significant to the community as the local monoliths.
