Cremains scattered at Historic Rose Hill Cemetery

160 remains were scattered in the new Scatter Garden.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Community members gathered Thursday at the Historic Rose Hill Cemetery to scatter the remains of 160 people.

Reverend Dr. Henry Ficklin led the ceremony at the new Scatter Garden. Representatives from the Mayor’s Council of Clergy helped scatter the ashes.

Speakers at the event explained the effort that went into trying to reunite families and finally finding a final resting place.

“It is sad that so many people remains have been left for strangers to take care of,,” Archive and Records Center Manager Kittie Cosper said. “These people have been forgotten, and I’m grateful so many people came together to help provide them a beautiful final resting place.”

The ashes were scattered after Macon-Bibb announced its intentions and the list of names through media coverage, giving family members another chance to come forward and claim the remains.

“People deserve to have a more fitting resting place than a box on a shelf in the basement, and I applaud our team for taking on this very personal and heartfelt project,” Mayor Lester Miller said.

The ceremony was streamed live at facebook.com/maconbibbcounty.

The Scatter Garden is located to the left of the main gatehouse at the main entrance.