HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2016-04-12 Sycolin Cemetery clean up
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Betsy Arnett, Public Information Officer
barnett@leesburgva.gov 703-771-2734
Loudoun Freedom Center and Town of Leesburg Partner on
Clean Up of African American Cemetery Site
Litter collection event planned for Saturday, April 23, 2016, as part of Keep
Leesburg Beautiful month.
Leesburg, VA (April 12, 2016) –
On Saturday, April 23, 2016, the
Loudoun Freedom Center and
the Town of Leesburg are
sponsoring a clean-up of the
site of two African American
cemeteries off Sycolin Road,
south of the Leesburg Executive
Airport. The litter collection
event is scheduled for 10:00am
to 12:00pm. The Town will
provide gloves and trash bags
and will dispose of the trash
collected. Volunteers are asked
to wear long pants and sturdy
shoes.
The cemetery site is located just north of the First Baptist Church of Sycolin (19978 Sycolin
Road). In 1989 and 1990, the Town purchased approximately eight acres of land to provide a
buffer for the south end of the airport runway. The property is the site of two burial areas
affiliated with the Lower Sycolin African American Community that existed here in the late
1800s and early 1900s.
Over the past several months, the Town has worked with Loudoun County staff and the
Loudoun Freedom Center to collect detailed survey information on the burial areas.
Researchers from the Town’s Thomas Balch Library have researched former property owners
and the genealogy of several known individuals who are buried in the cemeteries. Town Public
Volunteers use ground-penetrating radar to identify possible grave
sites at the Sycolin Road property.
Works staff removed fallen trees from the burial areas, cleared a path to the burial areas from
the upper field, removed large amount of debris dumped on a portion of the property decades
ago, and hauled away several deer carcasses that were left more recently by hunters. The litter
clean-up on Saturday, April 23, will concentrate on the areas of the property leading to the
cemeteries.
“The Town is proud to support the documentation and preservation of this site an d assist the
Loudoun Freedom Center in its efforts to share the stories of the historic African American
communities and cemeteries that can be found throughout Loudoun County,” said Keith
Markel, Leesburg’s Deputy Town Manager.
During the clean up events, visitors will be able to walk down to the cemetery site. The Town
will provide maps showing the transition of the land over the past 80 years and current aerial
photographs showing the recently collected data points for the cemetery.
Parking for the litter clean up will be in the upper field, off Sycolin Road. In the event of
inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled.
# # #