The City of Smyrna now manages three historic cemeteries, Smyrna

Memorial Cemetery, Daniell Cemetery, and Mt. Zion Cemetery.

The City has hired Preservation Manager, Ashley Shares to help restore these cemeteries.

Ashley Shares is a graduate of the Masters in Heritage Preservation Program at Georgia State University. She is currently the Preservation Manager at Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, and has worked in the preservation field for four years. She has worked on restoration projects for cemeteries in the cities of Atlanta, Athens, Locust Grove, and Roswell, to name a few. Of her work in cemetery preservation, Ashley says “I believe that cemeteries are an important cultural resource and I am passionate about careful and gentle preservation of these sites. It is a pleasure to be able to work at Smyrna Memorial Cemetery stabilizing some very historic and beautiful monuments.”

Ms. Shares will be working in the afternoons and weekends in Smyrna, and explains, "The work at [these cemeteries] targets monuments that are considered "critical" or threatened. This includes headstones that are dangerous to visitors, broken, or at risk of breaking. Headstones that are slightly askew or simply a bit dirty are not the subject of this project. It is not the intent to 'perfect' the cemetery but rather to conserve its unique aesthetic while making the area safe and inviting to visitors." 

If you happen to catch her working in the cemetery, don’t be shy. She loves to educate the public on the methods and importance of cemetery preservation.

Ms. Shares has completed her work at Smyrna Memorial Cemetery and Daniell Cemetery and is currently working on repairs at Mt. Zion Cemetery.

For more information on Ms. Shares' work, visit the Oakland Cemetery PRO Team page.

More information on Smyrna area cemeteries can be found on Find A Grave.

A new, interactive website on the restoration and history of Mt. Zion Cemetery can be found at Mt. Zion StoryMap