Union Methodist Church Cemetery-Hays Campground Cemetery
Also known as: Hays Campground (Union Methodist) Cemetery
Why it's listed
Union Methodist Church Cemetery, also called Hays Campground Cemetery, sits across the road from Union United Methodist Church in a rural part of Taylor County, Georgia. Land for the church and burial ground was deeded in 1840 by Jeremiah C. McCants and Robert P. Hays, and the earliest marked grave dates to 1847. About 200 people are buried here, in family plots with upright headstones, stone and concrete grave caps, a short obelisk and several iron fences. A fenced section on the west side holds African-American graves, many of them early and unmarked. The cemetery's most distinctive feature is four pine grave shelters, pegged together, covering some of the oldest burials; they are a rare Victorian custom that was common from about 1840 to 1890. The name Hays comes from a nearby camp meeting ground used from 1874 until the mid-1890s, whose buildings are gone. Burials continue today.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery is significant in art and architecture for its varied stone, metal and wood grave markers and fencing, especially four rare wooden grave shelters. It is also significant in social history as a community and church burial ground tied to the founding McCants and Hays families, with an African-American section that includes early graves of enslaved people.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01000941, listed September 6, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Union Church Rd., Butler |
|---|---|
| County | Taylor County |
| Listed | September 6, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000941 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1847-1951 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active burial ground; the nearby church and the former campground are not part of the nominated property. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 32.63728, -84.26299 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01000941.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.