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Cemeteries

The Town of Forest City maintains two cemeteries within the corporate limits: Cool Springs Cemetery and Alexander Cemetery. There are available plots at both locations.

Memorial Day for Cool Springs Cemetery is Mother's Day. Memorial Day at the Alexander Cemetery is the 3rd Sunday in May.

Cemetery maps and records are kept in the City Clerk's office located in Town Hall at 128 N. Powell Street. Office hours are 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Please call (828) 248-5202 for more information.

New rules for both cemeteries were adopted by the Board of Commissioners at its January 12, 2026 meeting. Please expand the blue boxes below to read each section. Grave costs can be found at the bottom of the page.

All persons within the cemetery are reminded that the grounds are sacredly dedicated to the interment and repose of the dead. Strict observance of the decorum due to such a memorial will be expected and required of all.

The Town reserves the right to determine, establish, modify, alter, or change the grade of any lot, road, driveway, pathway, or part thereof, and shall not be liable to anyone for any such action. Individual graves shall not be disturbed.

No cemetery lot owner shall make any changes or alterations to any lot—including the removal or repositioning of any memorial or marker, or the removal of trees or shrubs—without the written consent of the Town of Forest City.

The opening and closing of graves shall be performed by a state-licensed undertaker using commonly accepted practices to ensure the site is restored to its natural state.

Concrete grave liners, vaults, or steel vaults must be used for all casket burials and must be located at a minimum depth of 52 inches below the surface.

In addition to these rules and regulations, all interments, disinterments, and removals are subject to applicable county and state laws and regulations.

A written notice to the Town Clerk is required at least 24 hours before any interment and at least one week before any disinterment or removal.

The cemetery is to be used for the burial of humans only.

The intent of these regulations is to maintain the cemetery in its natural state to the greatest extent possible. With that in mind, the following rules apply:

  • No coping, curbing, fencing, hedging, borders, corner posts, or enclosures of any kind are allowed around any grave site.
  • No brick, tile, cinders, stone, sand, cement, gravel, wood, or other materials are allowed on any lot. Only a foot marker flush with the ground and a headstone are permitted.
  • No trinkets, toys, shells, sand, or any other unauthorized items will be allowed and may be removed without notice. The Town is not responsible for their loss or destruction.
  • It is the responsibility of the legal representative of the deceased, the relative in charge of the funeral, their appointed representative, or the funeral director to remove all flowers and other burial-related items within 30 days of interment.
  • Cut flowers, artificial flowers, wreaths, baskets, designs, and frames may be placed on graves for major holidays and significant dates. Donors are responsible for removing these items within 14 days after the event.

The following persons, items, or animals are prohibited and subject to removal:

  • Delivery trucks or other vehicles used for hauling goods, except those delivering flowers for an interment or a licensed memorialist.
  • Materials other than cut flowers, wreaths, or potted plants (within the permitted time frame).
  • Pet markers or animal memorials.

The following actions are not allowed on cemetery grounds:

  • Loud, boisterous, or obscene language.
  • Improper conduct or disruptive behavior.
  • Camping, playing, or loitering.
  • Picking or damaging flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation; defacing or damaging any grave, marker, building, or structure.
  • Littering, including depositing paper, rubbish, wilted flowers, branches, or other debris outside of designated receptacles.
  • Peddling, begging, soliciting, or collecting.
  • Displaying or distributing signs, cards, handbills, circulars, or advertising materials.

  • No mausoleum shall be erected except on a lot specifically designated for such purpose. The minimum lot size is four plots. Detailed plans and specifications must be submitted and approved before construction. Mausoleums may not exceed 10 feet in height and must be located in the center of the four plots that are purchased.
  • Mausoleums must be constructed only of first-quality granite or marble.
    • Granite is defined as a coarse-grained igneous rock used in monuments.
    • Marble is a metamorphic rock derived from limestone, used in architecture and sculpture.
  • Foundations must be of solid masonry concrete and include a sufficient number of columns to support the structure. The surface area of the foundation must equal or exceed that of the base of the mausoleum.
  • Construction must be performed by a licensed and bonded mausoleum company, and all expenses are the responsibility of the owner or company.

The following actions are prohibited:

  • Driving any vehicle across or parking on any grave or lot.
  • Parking any vehicle in a way that blocks passage on driveways. Vehicles parked in violation will be removed without notice and at the owner’s expense.
  • Leaving vehicles on cemetery grounds between dusk and dawn.

  • The cost per grave is $1,000 for residents of the Town of Forest City.
  • The cost for non-residents is $1,800 per grave.
  • Residency status of the purchaser or the deceased must be confirmed at the time of purchase.
  • Must be paid in full at the time of purchase.