Above are some views of the Thompson Family Cemetery, situated the area of the Pan Am Shopping Center that abuts Lee Highway. Many old graves in Fairfax County have had to be relocated when commercial development moves in, but in this case the shopping center was built around the old graveyard. The area of the cemetery rises above the level of the Center's parking lot and has timber restraining walls on most of the four sides; it is best approached from the one corner that has no restraining wall. There is a group of tall trees in the center and plantings on the shopping center side. The grass is not "manicured" but is well kept.
Only two gravestones can be seen. According to Brian A. Conley's book, Cemeteries of Fairfax County, Virginia, other persons likely to be buried here are: Henry Allen, Rita A. T. Covington, Daniel Thompson, Ellen Thompson, Fannie A. Thompson, Katie Thompson, Reverend Lawson T. Thompson, Lola Thompson, Marshall Thompson, Nat Thompson, Samuel P. Thompson, Carmey Tobin, and Mamie Tobin.
Interesting story and pictures, and I am so glad the old cemetery was saved.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this little cemetery seems to be an exception to the rule around here. Back in the 1970s there were several high-profile commercial developments that got the people in some old family graveyards relocated to other cemeteries and historic houses knocked down; local preservation and history societies couldn't act quickly enough.
ReplyDeleteYour cemetery was featured in one of my blog articles on Grave Mappers - check it out! http://gravemappers.blogspot.com/2008/12/check-out-these-cemeteries-in-parking.html
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