The 50th Anniversary and Re-dedication of Parsons Cemetery's Entrances will be held Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the main entrance on North Division Street.

The event will be followed with an open reception along the cemetery waterfront at the Parsons Memorial Walkway; there will be refreshments and a musical program by harpist Kara Dahl Russell.

Gifted by Alison J. Parsons on July 9, 1967, the gates were restored by the Alison J. and Ella W. Parsons Fund of Hampton Roads, Va.

The dedication will be handicapped accessible, with convenient parking and seating under the shade of Parsons Cemetery's old trees and cool river breezes.

Parsons Cemetery is both historic and operational. In the words of Keith Eggener, an architectural historian and author of the book “Cemeteries,” an "urban cemetery is where life meets death, nature meets city, and present meets past."

That is a perfect description of Parsons Cemetery today -- a peaceful green space enjoyed by community members who walk, jog, ride, bird watch, and otherwise enjoy its peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Established in 1873, and building on a Family Cemetery already opened to the public, the cemetery reflects over 150 years of Salisbury's history and culture presented in its grave markers and funerary assets, making it an outdoor museum and historical resource for those interested in genealogy and cultural history.