Helena Confederate Cemetery, historic cemetery in Phillips County, Arkansas, US
The Helena Confederate Cemetery is a small burial ground located within Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, covering roughly one acre on Crowley's Ridge. The site contains over 100 grave markers, including 15 unmarked graves, along with two main memorials: a shaft topped with an urn at General Patrick Cleburne's grave and a tall granite monument with a carved soldier statue erected in 1892.
The cemetery was established in 1891 to honor soldiers who died during the Battle of Helena on July 4, 1863, or from their wounds shortly after. General Patrick Cleburne's remains were relocated to the site in 1870 from Tennessee, and the cemetery was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
The cemetery serves as a place where the local community gathers to remember those who fought in the Civil War, with annual traditions of leaving flowers and paying respects. Walking through the grounds, you sense how the site has become a focal point for reflecting on sacrifice and honoring the past.
The cemetery is accessible on Holly Street within Maple Hill Cemetery and can be visited during regular hours. The grounds are generally well-maintained with clear pathways between graves, though visitors should note that some areas may benefit from additional care.
General Patrick Cleburne, one of the most renowned Confederate leaders, was not buried here until 1870 when his remains were relocated from his original grave in Tennessee after the community sought to bring him closer to Helena. This relocation reflects how deeply the town valued his role in the region's history.
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