CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — Chattanooga history advocates are working to preserve the Old Summit Cemetery near Ooltewah, a historic African American burial ground that dates back to the 1890s and survived wars, displacement, and decades of change.
The Old Summit cemetery, located between I-75 and the Enterprise South Nature Park between the VW exit and the Ooltewah exit, is one of four historic cemeteries in Chattanooga studied by the Middle Tennessee State University Center for Historic Preservation over the past six years, according to a release from the Unity Group of Chattanooga, which is spearheading the efforts to preserve the Ooltewah site.
Efforts began in 2019 when Chattanooga Mayor’s Task Force members Donivan Brown and Beth Murphy met with MTSU preservation staff. That partnership led to research and restoration projects at Beck’s Knob Cemetery, Pleasant Garden Cemetery, and a neglected pauper’s cemetery along Stringer’s Ridge. Each project included detailed research, National Register of Historic Places nominations, and public interpretation initiatives.
Old Summit Cemetery became the next focus when Chattanooga citizens Eric Akins and Jared Story reached out for guidance in 2025. Research shows the cemetery is tied to significant moments in Chattanooga history, including the Civil War and World War II homefront. Summit, the neighborhood that grew around the cemetery, was first settled by emancipated African American families in the late 19th century and developed churches, schools, and community institutions.
“The cemetery is one of the few remaining physical reminders of this historic black community,” said Dr. West of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation. “Its grave markers, fencing, and gates tell a story of resilience and heritage.”
The Old Summit Cemetery, along with nearby churches St. Peter Missionary Baptist and Fields Chapel AME Zion, survived federal land seizures in 1941 for the Volunteer Ordnance Works and later interstate construction in the 1960s. The historic markers now stand as the only tangible remnants of a community displaced by wartime necessity and infrastructure projects…