August 2018 Update

What a wet and rainy season this Summer has been. We uprighted two and a half stones earlier today. We should have had three completed but a monsoon blew in and half drowned us this morning. Unlike the wicked witch of the west, we won't melt.

A thank you goes out to M-A C for her donation to this project. Thank you again!

Since the restoration season has begun over 35 gravestones have been uprighted and secured. Two of which were severely leaning obelisks and one obelisk that had already toppled over. Our goal is to correct the dangerous stones before they fall or possibly injure someone. Numerous Civil War veterans whose tablet style stones were broken were cleaned and uprighted by casting new cement bases for the stones of these former soldiers. One of which was Colonel Frederick Andes. He is once again standing at attention.

Does anyone remember his obelisk that had tipped over? The remaining pieces were disassembled, a new level stone dust base installed, and then the obelisk reassembled. The cross for the top of this obelisk will be replaced on top of the cap after it is re-pinned and re-mortared for safety.

The same was done with this severely leaning obelisk which is a little over 7 feet tall.

Before

After

New developments have surfaced where a new owner has purchased the properties of the former Evangelical Protestant Church, including the cemetery. We will see how this progresses. The lawn is very high at this point and desperately needs mowing. The former lawn contractor was told to cease mowing. We will keep you posted on this.

My plans to attempt a new roof for the vault building are now on hold because of the sale of the properties. Perhaps something can be worked out. Below are pictures of the outside of the right side of the roof and another from inside the building. If left like this it will not be long before the roof completely collapses. Left as is, I predict three years maybe less before it is gone.

Exterior View

Interior View

June 2018 Update

Although rehab work started later than expected at the cemetery. It is now going full steam. Materials were purchased for use. Numerous stones have been leveled and up-righted. Also, a large leaning tree that was leaning was cut down and removed. Photos of the work are below. The tree was completely removed. The photo show partial removal.

The photo below is the next obelisk that will be worked on this weekend. The monument is simply leaning too much now and is now a safety concern. Soon it will be dismantled, its base leveled, and then re-assembled. Photos to follow upon its completion.

February 2018 Update

Plans for the 2018 cemetery rehab season at the Evangelical Protestant Cemetery are made and work is underway. One would never know this though. What is being done presently? For years, much garbage and discarded plastic flowers were thrown into a corner of the old vault building. This garbage is being removed little by little. The rear shed behind the vault building is already emptied of its former junk. During the late Spring, it is hoped that someone might donate some expertise, time, and sweat to help replace the roofs on these buildings. If the roofs are left as is the buildings will collapse. Let's get this corrected before more damage is done.

Once the weather warms a little more; the hilly center area will have the remaining roots and vines removed, which should keep the extreme sumac growth down. Also the outer perimeter will be cleared of what has crept inward again.

Hopefully by early April stone work will be started. Since I am still recuperating from shoulder surgery smaller gravestones will be tackled first. The bases will be lifted and re-leveled. Any actual repairs to the marble stones and or mortar work on these stones will be taken care of by mid-May. When this season ends the section in between the driveway and the Route 85 fence will be completed along with the the furthest section in back heading towards the middle of the grounds. The far opposite side of the cemetery is complete now. All damaged and unlevel gravestones were corrected in 2016 and 2017.

January 2018 Update

The new year is here! Although, recent posting has not occurred here lately. Off site plans are being put together for another productive rehab season in 2018. Work ended in early November 2017 with the completion of the Bender plot. Cold weather, ice, and snow plus an operation has ended work at the cemetery for a few months for us. But we will be back!

The Bender plot, mentioned above, rests above the Civil War grove on a hill was finally finished. It was a work in progress throughout the Spring and Summer; and now it is complete. A video was made to show the progress of this project. A link to the video is below. See you in the Spring!