Small counties and communities have a distinct disadvantage when trying to increase tourism and economic development. Many try to “piggyback” on big attractions in larger communities with limited success. Others try to start a new festival of some type in hopes of drawing in crowds; but because of competition with other established festivals, success is far from guaranteed. 

In Gallatin County, we are looking at what assets we already possess that have the potential to draw people into the county. These assets don’t necessarily have to be big attractions, but instead small assets that certain people may find unique or attractive.

One such asset in Warsaw, Kentucky is the Old Warsaw Cemetery. This cemetery dates back well over 200 years and contains the graves of some of the county’s founders. With the interest people have nowadays in their ancestry, the preponderance of ancestry websites, and the number of organizations that specialize in tracking down ancestors, it was thought that this old cemetery might become a draw some folks. 

Unfortunately, the “Pioneer Cemetery”, as it’s sometimes called, had fallen on hard times. The cemetery had been neglected for decades. It was overgrown with grass and weeds, headstones were toppled, broken, or missing, and the stones still standing were so covered in mosses, algae, and lichens, the engraving was totally illegible. It was a mess.

In the fall of 2023, a Gallatin County and iLEAD Academy student approached the Gallatin County Extension Service about leading the refurbishment effort of the old cemetery and using the project as her graduation capstone project.

Working in conjunction with the Gallatin County Extension Service, the Gallatin County Free Public Library, the Gallatin County Historical Society, and to some extent the City of Warsaw, the project officially got off the ground in September 2023. Since then, the student (with the help of Extension) has recruited volunteers, trained volunteers, sourced supplies and materials, set up a project Facebook page, and has physically worked on the project twice per week weather permitting. In all, over 350 volunteer hours have been spent on the project.  

The changes being made at the Old Warsaw Cemetery are remarkable; and people have started to notice. The project has received good coverage by the local newspaper and social media hits have consistently risen. But more importantly, people are coming to visit the cemetery! Flowers are actually being left on gravesites again. We truly are breathing new life into an old graveyard.