Restoration, New Plots For Township Cemeteries
Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board and township trustee Barb Griffith recently discussed the clean-up, restoration and expansion of several Turkey Creek township cemeteries.
Union Cemetery, located on East 1000 North, Syracuse, was expanded earlier this year through the purchase of adjacent farmland. Dennis Darr, board president, reported the land was recently seeded for grass, a new fence was installed and gravel was laid.
Griffith looked into having the new cemetery land surveyed for plots, and received one estimate for the job. The estimate indicated 240 plots would be added to the cemetery. The board gave Griffith the go ahead to have the work done, provided the individual was a licensed surveyor and the cost was no more than $3,300.
Griffith also reported Byers Cemetery, on East 1250 North, and Lake Bethel Cemetery, on North Turkey Creek Road, will be cleaned of high brush and grass this fall. Board member Bill Dixon recommended Griffith contact the local Boy Scouts if any additional cemetery clean-ups were needed.
Two estimates were presented for the complete restoration of all six township cemeteries. These restorations would include resetting and repairing toppled and broken tombstones, as well as cleaning the historic stones. The first estimate, from Brad Manzenberger Stone Revival Historical Preservation, came in at $35,525. The second estimate, from StoneHugger Cemetery Restoration, came in at $108,025.
Griffith said the only reason she knew for the difference in costs was StoneHuggers did not use chemicals for cleaning the tombs, while the other company did use chemicals.
The board voted to give Griffith the go ahead to hire Stone Revival Historical Preservation to work on the smallest township cemetery, Weybright Cemetery, on South County Line Road, for a total of $1,800. Work will be completed this fall and reviewed by the trustee to then see if the township should continue working with the company to restore the rest of the cemeteries.
The Turkey Creek township advisors meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at Syracuse Fire Station 2.