Dorchester Cemetery

Front inscription

In 1876, six trustees of a local Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) congregation purchased a 25-acre parcel at this site. Tradition holds that congregants worshipped under a brush arbor before building a church south of here several years later. The church was subsequently named Morris Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church. This site continued to be used as a cemetery.

Reverse inscription

This later became a community burial ground for African Americans known as Dorchester Cemetery. Among the area churches with members buried here are Morris Chapel United Methodist, Jerusalem United Methodist, St. Daniel United Methodist, Elem Missionary Baptist, Surprise Missionary Baptist, and Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal. Burials continue to take place here.