The Surfside Beach Historical Society is racing against the clock to raise enough money to preserve part of the old Ark Plantation Cemetery.

The Historical Society held a chicken bog fundraiser at the Dick M. Johnson Civic Center on Friday to help reach its goal. Members sold each plate for $10, and sold about 100 plates within the first hour of the fundraiser. The Historical Society is also applying for several grants to help preserve the property.

The owner of the lot on Hollywood Drive, between  Juniper and Cypress Drives, has given the Historical Society until August 4th to come up with almost $120,000 to buy the land. The rest of the burial ground, which extends to 6th Avenue South, has been developed with homes. 

“My people was here. My grandmother, grandfather, uncle,” said Elmer Holmes. 

He doesn’t know exactly where on Hollywood Drive his family was buried, so he drives through the road to pay his respects. 

“Oh yeah, I come by here often. I ride by here often. I send my prayers,” he said.

On Friday, Holmes stopped by the Historical Society’s chicken bog fundraiser to help preserve the last empty lot of the cemetery, which he calls a part of his history.

“I hope that they can get it and preserve it. I’d like to see my kids, my grandkids, cousins, and all my family come up here and know where their history at,” he said.

“It’s like they say, ‘If you don’t remember history, you’re gonna repeat mistakes.’ I don’t ever want to make that mistake again,” said Sherry Singleton, secretary of the Surfside Beach Historical Society. 

She hopes building a memorial on the remaining lot, with the names of each slaves buried in the cemetery will bring healing to their descendants in the area, such as Holmes. 

“I see the hurt because she doesn’t know where exactly her grandpa is buried. I know exactly where my grandparents are buried. I could take you there. I’ve got pictures,” said Singleton.

According to Singleton, the Historical Society plans to go back to town council at the next meeting and request permission to buy the land, as well as assistance with fundraising.

“You can’t undo some things that were done wrong. But we have got a chance to do something right. And that’s what I want to see happen,” she said.