Echoes of the Past: The Powell Family Home and Cemetery

A visit filled with history, heartfelt stories, and the warmth of good people doing good work.

The Powell House, October 2025

This beautiful old home has held a special place in my heart for years. I’ve passed by it countless times, always admiring its timeless presence, and today I finally had the privilege of spending time here—with permission from the owners. It was time well spent, as we used the day to help clean up the Powell Family cemetery plot just behind the home.

Jesse Powell is buried within the family plot and is the “founder” of this old home.

The owners live just around the corner and, along with some attentive neighbors, keep a close watch on the property. They kindly ask that others respect the home and not trespass without permission.

I also had the opportunity to finally meet Kelly from The Forgotten South in person. When I mentioned the cemetery cleanup, she was quick to offer help and arrived prepared with just about everything we needed. This was the first cemetery I’ve ever helped restore, and I was grateful to have her by my side.

Kelly and I have chatted online over the years, but it was wonderful to finally connect face-to-face. I have so much respect for the work she does—it goes far beyond what I’ve gotten into myself. She has restored and maintains several cemeteries across North Carolina, and if you haven’t checked out her page yet, you absolutely should.

Jesse’s stone is one of the broken ones as a magnolia tree grew up around it years ago. The tree fell taking down the stone with it.

Mary and Al, the current owners, met us at the cemetery, and I truly enjoyed getting to know them. Mary’s warmth shone through as she talked about her grandchildren, her eyes lighting up with every story. Then, without hesitation, this sweet Southern lady grabbed her weedwhacker and joined right in to help clear the overgrowth. Al brought his trailer to haul away the piles of brush we’d gathered from the center of the cemetery.

Notice the stones outside of the cemetery fence off to the left?

We all plan to come together again soon to continue the cleanup and finish what we started. It’s inspiring to see people unite to honor and preserve a piece of history. Experiences like this remind me why I love exploring these places—not just for the history they hold, but for the people and stories that keep them alive.

Here is a photo of the entrance to the cemetery after our hard work. Still much more to do!