The development of Bull Shoals Reservoir required one of the largest cemetery relocation efforts in the region.

Arkansas

Significant cemetery relocations in Arkansas occurred primarily in the mid-20th century, driven by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam projects that created lakes, such as Bull Shoals (55+ cemeteries, 3,252 graves, 1948) and Beaver Lake. Other relocations involved moving graves due to the establishment of WWII-era Japanese American incarceration camps, most notably the Rohwer Relocation

Bull Shoals Reservoir — Large-Scale Cemetery Relocation

During the construction of the Bull Shoals Dam in the late 1940s, a large-scale cemetery relocation project was undertaken to prevent burial sites from being inundated by the forming reservoir. The effort, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, resulted in the relocation of more than 3,252 graves from 55 cemeteries throughout the White River Valley in Arkansas and Missouri.

Remains were carefully exhumed and reinterred at designated locations, including sites such as Milum Cemetery. The project required coordination across multiple counties and communities, making it one of the more extensive cemetery relocation efforts associated with mid-20th century dam construction in the United States.

Today, Bull Shoals Lake spans the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. Created by the damming of the White River, the lake features over 1,000 miles of shoreline and is known for its clear, deep water—often referred to as the “Caribbean of the Midwest.” It is now a popular destination for boating, fishing, and diving.

The project reflects the broader impact of reservoir construction on historic landscapes and burial grounds across the region.

Additional details on the relocation effort can be found in the Introduction to the Relocated Cemeteries of the Bull Shoals Reservoir Project. by Linda Haas Davenpor at https://www.argenweb.net/marion/cemetery/marion-co-ar-relocated-cemeteries.html