Preservation of the Reid Family Cemetery : Evolution of the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center Property

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Historic preservation
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-HRT-18-005;HRTM-20/12-17(1,000)E
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Virginia
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Description:
  Located among pavement testing machinery, giant flumes, and a crash-test site, the Reid Family Cemetery is both an anachronism and a historical point of interest on the grounds of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). The cemetery was part of the Reid family farm, which dates back to the mid-1800s. The farm was a focal point in local history. The U.S. Government acquired the farm from a Reid descendant in 1940 for $24,954.83. Part of the agreement with the Reid family was that the Government would maintain the private cemetery and that family descendants would have the option to be buried there if they wished.
  
  In 2002, a special effort was made to improve the cemetery grounds. Maintenance staff mowed, edged, trimmed the area, and removed two trees on the site. In addition, a 1.2-meter- (4-foot-) high black iron fence was built around the cemetery using the plot’s four cornerstones as guidelines. Each side of the fence includes an opening for easy access by family members and visitors. Today, TFHRC staff continue to preserve, maintain, and improve the cemetery. An informational display will soon be placed nearby.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/37587/dot_37587_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.34 MB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Highway Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1309f149ac17ee15402cfbfd21ccd28cf17f2bb2ada1da2ab20cd354a803fef8b8a24769785481fe399749d7e7e80ec0d606aa3df04b71ccd1a1db0f904f69e3