The park is the original site of the Calhoun Methodist Church established in 1820, and is surrounded by the community cemetery, which includes more than 1,100 burials.
CCH vice president Joe Bryan will present a program about the significance of the cemetery as it relates to the early history of Calhoun, Charleston and the surrounding area.
Noted as the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in early records, the earliest readable death date of 1823 indicates that the cemetery was in use soon after the founding of Calhoun in 1819.
The carved lettering on many stones in the oldest section of the cemetery is not legible, but the stones are thought to mark the first burials in the cemetery, soon after 1819.
Included in the oldest section are members of the Aiken families of Charleston and the McCarty families of Calhoun.
Visitors to the program on Sunday will learn of the many veterans buried in the cemetery, including the Revolutionary, Mexican and Civil Wars.
The cemetery includes the prominent graves of Sarah Ross, daughter of Lewis Ross, a notable Cherokee, Gideon Morgan, who fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in what is now modern-day Alabama, and descendants of Return Meigs, Indian agent of Cherokee Affairs during the early 1800s. Many pioneer names associated with the land grants of 1819 are found in the cemetery.
Those attending on Sunday will be provided a walk-though of the cemetery pointing out many fascinating markers including those of the Saulpaw family and other early pioneer residents. An update will be provided at the meeting on the recent progress in renovating the Heritage Center in Charleston, and updated plans for the Cow Pea Festival in September.
The public is invited to attend.
The park is located just south of Calhoun First Baptist on Church Street in Calhoun.
