Remembering the fallen at Cainhoy’s Old Ruins Cemetery

In what has become a tradition on the Cainhoy Peninsula, a poignant Wreaths Across America ceremony was held at the Old Ruins/McDowell Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 13, as community members gathered to pay tribute to veterans.

The cemetery was one of 2,700 locations to participate in Saturday’s annual nationwide observance, which encourages participants to “remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.”

Twenty-four Christmas wreaths with red ribbons were placed at the graves of military servicemembers, while the name of each honoree was spoken aloud.

The Old Ruins/McDowell Cemetery dates back more than 300 years, with burials that include those who served in the Revolutionary War. Those in attendance also placed wreaths at the ruins of the old Cainhoy Meeting House, which served as a field hospital in 1780 during the British occupation of Charleston.

Participants learned more about the history of the site from the program’s organizer, MaeRe Skinner, a fifth-generation Cainhoy resident whose family has been overseeing the cemetery for decades. Also taking part in the ceremony was Rep. Mark Smith, who represents South Carolina State House District 99.