The Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) has added the Carter Cemetery in Goshen and the Antioch Cemetery at Shellhorn to the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register bringing the total number of Pike County historic cemeteries to six and the Providence Cemetery in Glenwood bringing the number of registered historic cemeteries in Crenshaw County to 14.

“The cemetery register is a prestigious listing of historic cemeteries in Alabama,” said Lee Ann Wofford, cemetery program coordinator. “The AHC considers the notable historic cemeteries in this register to be particularly worthy of preservation and appreciation and, therefore, deserving of this special recognition.”

The Carter Cemetery was established on land once owned by the Carter and Lawrence families, Wofford said.

“There was at one time a one-room church/school in front of the cemetery but it was removed in the 1950s,” she said. “The oldest marked burial dates to 1861. John Simpson Carter settled the land and one of his sons, James Madison Carter, served in the Alabama legislature. The cemetery is well maintained and remains active.”

The Antioch Cemetery at Shellhorn was established as a community cemetery in the early 1840s. The cemetery contains about 480 marked and 10 unmarked burials, Wofford said.

“Next to it stands the Antioch Church of Christ and Shellhorn School, which is not in use at this time,” she said. “A Masonic Lodge that is no longer present was also associated with the cemetery. It continues today as a community cemetery.”

Providence Cemetery is closely tied to the establishment of the town of Glenwood. The cemetery dates back to at least the 1880s and contains about 275 burials.

“Although not formally associated with the church, the cemetery contains burials of people who were instrumental in the founding of the Methodist and Baptist churches in Glenwood,” Wofford said. “The cemetery is nicely maintained and a trust fund has been established for its perpetual care.”

The Alabama Historical Commission administers the Alabama Historic Cemetery Program that gives aid to general public, government officials, civic groups and others in identifying, documenting, registering and conserving Alabama’s historic cemeteries. The AHC Register officially recognizes and honors family and community cemeteries that were established 40 years ago or more.

Listing in the state cemetery register is an honorary designation and imposes no restrictions on property owners. State law protects all cemeteries from willful desecration and destruction.