Maple Hill Cemetery (Huntsville, Ala.) Records
Scope and Contents
Researchers studying the Maple Hill Cemetery Records will gain insight into the Jewish community of Huntsville, Alabama. The records are arranged in alphabetically and chronologically within each file.
Dates
- Creation: 1941 - 2011
Creator
- Maple Hill Cemetery (Huntsville, Ala.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
A number of unmarked plots were set aside as a Hebrew burial ground by the City of Huntsville in 1874. It was the first visible presence of an organized Jewish community in Huntsville. Like many small Jewish communities, Huntsville’s originated with a cemetery. The old Hebrew burial ground served Congregation B’nai Sholom for over one hundred years, until all the grave sites were sold and additional sections along California and McClung Streets were purchased by Temple B’nai Sholom. In 1875, B’nai B’rith organized a Huntsville chapter and shortly thereafter the members organized Congregation B’nai Sholom. From its inception, along with its other duties, B’nai B’rith took responsibility for maintaining the Hebrew burial ground and the Congregation took responsibility for the community’s religious services. During the twentieth century, B’nai B’rith declined as Huntsville’s Jewish population diminished. B’nai B’rith continued to take responsibility for the cemetery until 1941 when Lawrence Bernstein Goldsmith Sr., who was treasurer of the Temple and a member of B’nai B’rith, began collecting for a maintaining the cemetery for the Congregation. The Goldsmith family continued to look after the Jewish section of Maple Hill Cemetery until 2011 when maintenance was handed over to the City of Huntsville. The trust was dissolved and the funds put in the Birmingham Jewish Foundation for the benefit of Temple B'nai Sholom to use for the grave sites of their members in Maple Hill. Note: A full history of the Jewish section of Maple Hill Cemetery written by Margaret Anne Goldsmith is located in Box 1, File 1.
Extent
1.6 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Jewish section of Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama, was created in 1874 and now consists of over 150 grave monuments and a number of unmarked plots. The records include layouts, publications, histories, receipts, and information on the trust fund that maintains the site.
Arrangement
The records are arranged in alphabetically and chronologically within each file.
Physical Location
The Cuba Family Archives for Southern Jewish History, The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, 1440 Spring Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
Separated Materials
Photographs removed to visual arts collection.
- Title
- Maple Hill Cemetery (Huntsville, Ala.) Records, Mss 279
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeremy Katz
- Date
- December, 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Repository
1440 Spring St. NW
Atlanta Georgia 30309 United States
678-222-3700