Quote:
Originally Posted by RLW
That's a super offer, but I'm not sure who has the responsibility for the old cemeteries. Is it the Park and Rec, I'm not sure. I do remember someone cleared it about 10 years or more ago, but again not sure who can give permission to clean it up. I for one would love to see it looking a little more respectful. I nice sign stating where it is would be fantastic.  |
There are 97 graveyards in Alton.
Family cemeteries are the responsibility of the families, not the town. If the cemetery is on private property, the family still has the right to visit the cemetery. The town of Alton has three Cemetery Trustees and the cemetery is supposed to be self-funding through a Trust Fund, if memory serves me, but they do have a budget that's included in the warrant for the town's budget, as well. The trustees are only responsible for the town's cemeteries (Bay, Riverside, etc.) and the ones that the families have made arrangements for through perpetual care. Otherwise, it is up to the families to care for them, and of course, the property owners could maintain them, if they wished.
My family is in the process of clearing one on Youngtown Rd that took me quite a while to locate. I'll try to post before/after photos at some time. With the exception of the corner of one headstone sticking out of the topsoil and debris, and the stonewall encircling the cemetery, you can hardly tell what it is. It is in a sad state but we hope to fix it up, as best we can. There's nine headstones in that cemetery, but eight graves. (We had a relative who 'jumped ship' and he's buried just down the road from the family plot, but his name is on two headstones, as a result.) Out of those eight graves, there's three veterans buried there. They deserve a respectful-looking burial site - better than how it looks now.