Cemetery Island

Old Burch Cemetery, also known as Cemetery Island, has deep roots in Towns County’s history, originating as a family burial ground on the Jarrett Burch Sr. family farm. Burch, one of the county’s early settlers, passed away in 1856 and was buried on his homeplace, following the common practice of the time, small family cemeteries. Over the years, the cemetery expanded, becoming the final resting place for more than 300 family members and neighboring residents by 1941.  

 

With the creation of Lake Chatuge, TVA officials determined that rising water levels would isolate the cemetery. In response, a relocation effort was undertaken. While most graves were moved to the NEW Burch Cemetery on Sunnyside Road (Highway 288), thirty remained in place at the request of their families. Some individuals were reinterred in other locations, but the vast majority were relocated to what is now known as Burch Cemetery. If no living relatives could approve or deny a grave’s relocation, it was moved automatically under the authority of the cemetery trustees.  

 

In 2008, the Towns County Historical Society led a community-driven effort to clean up the abandoned and overgrown cemetery. In 2022, with support from the Mountain Beautification and Revitalization Association (MBRA), a full restoration was undertaken, including cleaning the grounds and stones. That same year, funds were raised, and new headstones were placed on unmarked graves using historical records from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which had documented the original cemetery prior to its relocation.  

 

Local photographer Bruce Roberts captured the restoration efforts, and his photos can be viewed by clicking here.  

 

The relocation of Burch Cemetery uncovered some fascinating historical anecdotes:  

• When exhuming the remains of Mr. Worth Hooper, workers discovered that his body had petrified from the waist up.  

• Mr. Canary McConnell, who had lost a leg in a sawmill accident, had his severed limb buried in the cemetery. When the cemetery was relocated, he signed the permission form for the grave’s removal, humorously listing his relationship to the deceased as "owner."  

 

Old Burch Cemetery remains an important piece of Towns County’s history, standing as a testament to the community’s efforts to preserve and honor the past.