Histarchers,

I need your help. There is a cemetery in our archaeological park that was
established by the Alabama legislature in 1851 but we can't find any legal
records that describe the boundaries.  However there are historical records
(newspaper reports mostly) that say that the cemetery was "surrounded by a
ditch" and a few years after it was created, an osage orange hedge was
planted just inside the ditch.

Today, the ditch is still very apparent, and there are a few  aged  osage
orange trees too.

Our attorney has told us he does't think that he can use the ditch as
evidence of the boundary, because of the word "surrounds" since, as he
says, "its like saying that  the Indians surrounded the fort  and that
doesn't imply  they were establishing a boundary."  A fence he would
accept, and he may consider the osage orange, but he doesn't seem to think
we can protect the ditch from our neighbor's bulldozers.

So, I am turning to you for help.  Are there other examples of graveyards
that were enclosed by ditches, or documented  evidence that ditches were
used as boundary markers.  I'm trying to argue that  historically ditches
were just as real as fences in establishing boundaries.

Linda Derry
Site Director, Old Cahawba Archaeological Park
Alabama Historical Commission
719 Tremont Street, Selma, AL 36701
office:  334/875-2529
park:  334/ 872-8058
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