WHAT’S IN A NAME: Shadowlawn Cemetery

Published 9:00 am Sunday, February 26, 2023

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When you think of mysteries in small towns, the first things you may think of are abandoned houses, historical buildings, or statues of famous French men. LaGrange’s Shadowlawn cemetery is a bit of a mystery of its own.  

Research archivist Lewis Powell said the origins of Shadowlawn are not known. 

“We do know that it began as a private cemetery sometime in the 1920s or 1930s. Many of the earliest burials there appear to be children who were later moved to a plot with their parents,” Powell said. “The cemetery went on to be purchased by the city in 1959.” 

From movie stars, poets, politicians and local heroes, cemeteries are known to be the resting place of many historic individuals.  

“There are no nationally famous people buried there, but a number of important locals are,” Powell said. “Several mayors, local politicians and civil servants are buried there including Vice Admiral Albert Jarrell who was raised here in LaGrange and Judge Lee Wyatt, who was on the State Supreme Court and served as a representative judge from Georgia at the Nuremberg Trials after the end of World War II.”