Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
This forgotten cemetery holds a mysterious discovery—graves marked only by flowers and two rare MTA headstones. Hidden deep in the woods of Sumter County, Georgia, this African American burial ground has been overtaken by time and nature.
Today, I return to Sumter County with my friend Cecil on another cemetery survey. At first glance, Felder Cemetery appears lost, with many graves hidden beneath thick vegetation. But as we explore, we uncover something incredible—graves marked only by clusters of old bulb flowers, a practice sometimes used in African American cemeteries when families couldn’t afford traditional headstones. Even after more than a hundred years, these flowers still bloom, standing as the only visible markers for the forgotten dead.
Even more significant are the two Mosaic Templars of America (MTA) headstones we find among the ruins. The MTA, founded in 1882, was an African American fraternal organization that provided burial insurance and mutual aid at a time when white insurers refused to serve Black communities. The headstones issued by the MTA are now rare, making this discovery even more historically important.
Alongside these finds, the cemetery shows signs of severe neglect—toppled stones, a damaged burial, and countless unmarked graves. This is a story all too common in rural African American cemeteries, which often become overgrown and forgotten due to historical, social, and economic factors.
Cecil also shares his progress in surveying the cemeteries of Sumter County, with over 100 now documented and at least 70 more still to be located. His work is critical in preserving these burial grounds before they vanish completely.
My preservation work extends far beyond what you see in these videos. I restore headstones, respond to cemetery damage, and run a nonprofit preservation group—all self-funded. If you’d like to support this work, consider dropping a tip in my PayPal tip jar or becoming a channel member. Every contribution helps keep history alive.
Tip Jar: paypal.me/rwrightphotography
For more Adventures: https://linktr.ee/adventuresintohistory
My Flashlight Link: olightstore.com/s/UPTJSG (Save 10% with code SAIH10, not valid on sales items and X9R)
Mail:
Sidestep Adventures
PO BOX 206
Waverly Hall, Georgia 31831
#ForgottenCemetery #LostHistory #AbandonedGraves #HistoricPreservation #UnmarkedGraves #MysteriousBurials #CemeteryExploration #RareHeadstones #BurialArtifacts #HistoryLost #MosaicTemplars #AfricanAmericanHistory
This forgotten cemetery holds a mysterious discovery—graves marked only by flowers and two rare MTA headstones. Hidden deep in the woods of Sumter County, Georgia, this African American burial ground has been overtaken by time and nature.
Today, I return to Sumter County with my friend Cecil on another cemetery survey. At first glance, Felder Cemetery appears lost, with many graves hidden beneath thick vegetation. But as we explore, we uncover something incredible—graves marked only by clusters of old bulb flowers, a practice sometimes used in African American cemeteries when families couldn’t afford traditional headstones. Even after more than a hundred years, these flowers still bloom, standing as the only visible markers for the forgotten dead.
Even more significant are the two Mosaic Templars of America (MTA) headstones we find among the ruins. The MTA, founded in 1882, was an African American fraternal organization that provided burial insurance and mutual aid at a time when white insurers refused to serve Black communities. The headstones issued by the MTA are now rare, making this discovery even more historically important.
Alongside these finds, the cemetery shows signs of severe neglect—toppled stones, a damaged burial, and countless unmarked graves. This is a story all too common in rural African American cemeteries, which often become overgrown and forgotten due to historical, social, and economic factors.
Cecil also shares his progress in surveying the cemeteries of Sumter County, with over 100 now documented and at least 70 more still to be located. His work is critical in preserving these burial grounds before they vanish completely.
My preservation work extends far beyond what you see in these videos. I restore headstones, respond to cemetery damage, and run a nonprofit preservation group—all self-funded. If you’d like to support this work, consider dropping a tip in my PayPal tip jar or becoming a channel member. Every contribution helps keep history alive.
Tip Jar: paypal.me/rwrightphotography
For more Adventures: https://linktr.ee/adventuresintohistory
My Flashlight Link: olightstore.com/s/UPTJSG (Save 10% with code SAIH10, not valid on sales items and X9R)
Mail:
Sidestep Adventures
PO BOX 206
Waverly Hall, Georgia 31831
#ForgottenCemetery #LostHistory #AbandonedGraves #HistoricPreservation #UnmarkedGraves #MysteriousBurials #CemeteryExploration #RareHeadstones #BurialArtifacts #HistoryLost #MosaicTemplars #AfricanAmericanHistory
