Pine Hill Cemetery Tour

The Auburn Heritage Society was founded in 1974 with a mission to preserve Auburn's rich and extensive history. They accomplish this by collecting historic artifacts, funding historical markers and restoration projects, and educating the public about important historical events and figures. When we think of Auburn’s most historic places, Samford Hall and Toomer’s Corner come to mind, but the oldest and most historic Auburn site may surprise you. Pine Hill Cemetery was established in 1837 and is one of the most important pieces of history we have today. To celebrate this historic gem, the Auburn Heritage Society holds a guided tour to tell the stories of the important figures buried in the cemetery!

Atmosphere

The nocturnal tour begins with strolling along a lighted pathway into the graveyard. The lights of the candles continue into the cemetery, flickering and illuminating various graves and winding tree-lined walkways. A folk band accompanies the stroll with eerie tunes to set the mood. Various “ghosts” (actors) can be found roaming the grounds in costumes that reflect real people buried in the cemetery. Once you reach the starting point, a tour guide shares some general knowledge of the graveyard and leads you to meet your first historic figure.

Figures

My two favorite figures of the cemetery were Dr. Pat Teer and the Duggar family. Dr. Pat Teer was one of the first women to be a practicing veterinarian in Alabama. Naturally, she was also an avid animal lover. She dedicated her life to saving animals and paved the way for more women to do the same. The Duggar family were prominent figures in their church and community in the early 1800’s. Their story was fascinating and gave a glimpse into the civil war era. Actors portraying these people shared their incredible stories and achievements. Learning about their lives through a first-hand account made me feel like I had traveled back in time!

Donations

My favorite part about this event is knowing the money from the tickets goes towards the efforts of the Auburn Heritage Society, and specifically their care for Pine Hill Cemetery.  The funds collected will go to repairing tombstones and fixing any vandalism the graves may incur. I can’t think of a better way to honor this historical site than caring for the space inhabited by those who have passed.

All in all, I thought the Auburn Heritage Society did a fantastic job bringing Auburn’s history to life (literally). I hope you support their future events to give back to the town we all love so much! Remembering where we came from and who took part in our foundation is incredibly important, and I can only hope our names and stories will be preserved with the same amount of care. For more events and information about the Auburn Heritage Society you can visit Auburn Heritage Association.

Be well, Auburn.