I’ve thought long and hard about whether or not to post this video. It meets all of the forum's criteria for a post but it is personally tied to us and may have little interest for folks who were not involved in the project.

I retired from a large mental health facility in 1999 and, subsequently, spent about five years on a project to restore a huge cemetery (20,000 graves) that had been neglected for decades. Patients had been buried on the grounds from 1840 to about the time I retired. For many complicated but inexcusable reasons the grounds had fallen into a state of neglect, e.g., overgrown, iron numerical markers missing and a host of other problems. This issue had disturbed me throughout my career at the facility.

Around the time I retired the State of GA promised mental health advocates and others that the grounds would be restored and maintained in perpetuity. I coordinated these restoration efforts that involved many, many interested dedicated parties. From the time I went to work at the facility in 1968 until this day it is a powerful emotional experience to walk through the acres and acres of grave sites and think about the people buried there — some of whom were born at the hospital and lived their entire life there.

After years of work we were able to get the grounds on the Federal Register of Historic Places and achieve significant restoration of the cemetery. In 2009 the Today Show featured the cemetery (and yours truly) in a Bob Dotson American Story segment. They did a nice production but focused almost solely on me finding a completely forgotten African-American cemetery years earlier and helping a lady find her grandfather's burial site. But it still brought a lot of attention to a problem that exists all over the country. Afterwards I heard about many other situations. One state had hundreds of crumbling boxes of cremated remains in a damp basement. Another had built a golf course over a patient cemetery. Based on what we accomplished a national memorial is being created in DC in recognition of these people who rest in so many places likes this. It's timely because the reduced stigma of mental illness and the increased interest in genealogy has created a lot of interest in these and other such cemeteries.

At a dedication of the grounds Janice and I performed a song we had written about a hypothetical young lady who lived her life at the hospital and was buried there. The vid has only few photos taken by me over the years - it may seem slow but the pix are relevant to the story. They mean a lot to thousands of individuals who were patients there at one time but will likely have little appeal to others.

Apologies for the ramble but I felt some background was necessary.

Here’s my Today Show appearance and article (the vid link appears at different places on different devices)

City of Lost Graves

Here's the song and video:

Sally's Lament

All bluegrass RTs
Mixed in Garageband
Vocal: Rodes NT1 via Blue Icicle USB

Bud, Very interesting story. The song sounds great, I especially like the fiddle at the end. Nice touch. Of course Janice's vocal is impeccable. In the summer of 68 I worked at Camp Halen in Lake Lure NC. It was a summer camp for emotionally disturbed children and was run by Dr. Sorkey. He was connected to The U of GA and also was connected to the facility in Milledgeville. A friend of mine named Bill Barnes worked at the hospital in 69-70. Maybe you remember one or both. Congratulations on your long career. It sounds like a very meaningful life. Great job on the song and video. I enjoy your work. Tom

Tremendous!
You tell a sad but all too familiar story impeccably.
If we don't respect what is left behind, Nature will return it to her own busom. It is up to those who have the "Where-with-all"
to keep these places safe and maintained and not end up underneath a housing estate or motorway (Freeway to you) as happens here.
A story well told and I'm glad Sally got her "Angel" above her.
Super production and wonderful, thought provoking words not least of all because they are TRUE.
cheers
ian

Beautiful touching song and story. Thank you for sharing.

Bud, Janice:

Nice song and video. Janice's vocal is, as usual, fantastic.

Good job, you two.

John

Thanks Tom, we appreciate that. I'll PM you re your friend and the doc.

Hi Janice and Bud,

very touching and well sung song.
I like the production including the video.

Guenter

a wonderful tribute!


I currently practice physical therapy with geriatric patients with mental illnesses. My patients are able to function socially enough to participate. And they can be so funny sometimes! I love my job.



thank you for sharing

Hi Bud and Janice
What a wonderful tribute and an interesting story. Janice's vocal is, as ever, fantastic. I am also glad Sally is resting beneath the wings of her angel.

Another beautiful vocal, lovely arrangement, all rolled into a moving tribute. Touching...

Despite what I said in my PM, cos writing it helped I have listened and it is beautiful.

Alyn

Thanks Ian! It is so true about respecting what's left behind. It should not be a struggle to remember these people. We're glad you liked it.

Hey guys!

Lots to love here. Janice's vocal, of course - that sort of "goes without saying"... so comfortable, so "convincing"... always.

Great job of "writing the story". Fits your description of events really well - solid stuff...

As always, a great mix of instruments - and a great mix. Again.. fits the song and story, perfectly.

Really enjoyed seeing you interviewed on national TV...

floyd

Thank you Scott!



Thanks John. We appreciate it!



Thanks Guenter. It was a labor of love.



Thanks man. Yep, I learned a long time ago that it's a big difference between laughing at and laughing with folks with disabilities. Some of the folks I worked with were hilarious -- and they knew it! It really helps them and those of us who work with them to respond as we would to friends and family (and mean it).

Hey Bud and Janice,

How very sad to think about. Kudos to you and all involved in preserving some dignity for those forgotten people.

+1 to all that's been said. Arrangement, mix, and Janice's sweet voice combine for a lovingly tender tribute.

Josie

Hi, Bud and Janice !

This was very, very touching
and almost brought tears to my
eyes. I have worked in the public
sector most of my life and your
revelation made me think back
in time when I was still auditing
similar facilities !

Your tune was also very appropriate
and as touching as the story itself,
very sensitively sung by Janice !
Thank you both !

Dani

Nice song. Well done as usual.

My mom and brother live in Staunton Va. There is an old mental hospital there which served the state for many years. It was closed and reopened for a time as a prison, and then closed again. It is still state property although the buildings have now been sold to a developer who is converting them to luxury condos. The old complex has a number of buildings and they have just completed the second building.

On the hill behind the institution, there is a graveyard exactly like you describe. The state didn't wish to spend much money on the people when they died so their head stones were made from Chestnut wood in the old days and concrete in more recent times. Neither concrete nor wood handle time well so all that remains now are some broken cement "stones" with rebar in them and all the wood headstones were rotted, knocked down by the tractors used to cut the grass, and now, only one old wooden plaque remains next to a concrete one at the very top of the hill near a tree. The lower part of the hill has the concrete markers and they are still there. The wooden ones are but a memory as, I would imagine, are the names of the people in the graves on that hillside.

This was typical for the wooden markers, Most are now gone.... this one and one more are all that remain standing



Wooden Marker

At one time this marker was among wooden markers. A close look under the tree at the bottom of the hill and one can see concrete markers



Concrete marker up the hill

This marker will likely be the last wooden one since it sets beside a tree where the mowers can't reach



Wooden marker by the tree

At the top of the hill, this is a rare marble marker on a grave next to the wooden one.



Wooden marker next to a rare marble marker

Very good song but an even better story and quest to keep memories and add dignity to some less fortunate souls.

Also in reading other members comments I find it interesting, but not surprising just how many in this crowd have already done or in some cases still doing work with and for the less fortunate.

The timing of the listen was spot on as I am in the midst of preparing my playlist for an annual Christmas party/dance benefit for the Washington Parish Activity here is South Louisiana.

Thanks for the tune and of course your personal efforts in regards to the city of graves.

Later,

This touches me. The background, the accompaniment, the song, Janice's lovely singing, the news article and the photo's are all just right!
Thanks!

Thank you Joanne. It was a long journey. I hope they rest in peace.



Thanks for listening and commenting. We appreciate it.



Thank you very much Alyn. And thank you for the PM.




Thank you floyd. It was a quick write as we had "lived the story" for quite a while. Having you comment on the writing means a lot.



Thank you Josie. Appreciate the kudos and they are shared by a host of other folks who worked quietly behind the scenes for years.

It's already been said. A job well done, both with the song, and remembering the forgotten.

A very touching tale, sad but ultimately totally uplifting. Thanks for telling is about it. The song is just so appropriate and perfect.

John

Thank you Dani. I spent 41 years at the same facility -- the last 10 were consulting only a few hours a week but still it was a long run. Glad you liked it!



Thanks Herb and I appreciate seeing those photos. I will mention that cemetery to some folks I know that are working on the national memorial. Given that they are focused on DC know the pictures you posted are definitely in the neighborhood. And, yes, I think that there are less than a dozen marble headstones of the 20,000 plus burials here. Sad. I've assisted a lot of descendants in locating the approximate location of a grave so they could put down a marker.



Thank you Danny. Yep, it is interesting how many have been involved in similar fields. Hey, glad the timing was good!



Hey, I'm glad it all came together for you. That's what I was hoping for. I appreciate it.



We appreciate your comments and taking the time to watch the vid...



Thanks John. From sad to uplifting was a long but very rewarding journey.