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An Evening in the Graveyard An Evening in the GraveyardSome time ago, the State of Florida's Division of Historical Resources issued a lengthy, useful, report and created a website dealing with the status and preservation of historic cemeteries. They were not alone in their concern: the State of South Carolina, and I suspect many other states, have issued like-minded reports and taken upon the serious issue of stewardship of old and abandoned cemeteries. The handbook/report by Sharyn Thompson and Lynette Strangstad is a beautiful work of graphic design and research alike with scores of historical photos, a nice layout, and a wealth of useful information. The emphasis of this handbook and the associated efforts by the Division of Historical Resources is to inform the population of the need for attention to these cemeteries and to provide instruction germane to restoration and preservation at a crucial time for such.
While the Kanapaha Presbyterian Church has, as their website explains, taken upon themselves the mission of maintaining this cemetery and its legacy, my friend Reese and I noticed that many of the stones were in poor repair. This is not to blame the church, though: the preservation of old cemeteries is a detailed business and requires ample funds and moreover, the dedication of informed persons be they professionals or volunteers to carry forth the work. One of the marvels
At Kanapaha Cemetery, the needs mainly seem to be the righting of some stones which have fallen over and the repair of a smaller number of these, the trimming of invasive plant matter, and a good general cleaning up of the place. It's a southern tradition to go and visit and clean graveyards where loved ones are buried, and I am sure many of the families associated with this graveyard practice that tradition, but when dealing with historic cemeteries in poor repair often more effort is needed. In historic preservation, whether of buildings or landscapes like graveyards, the goal is to protect (and when needed restore) conditions to as close to their original state to further the legacy of their historical condition as possible. Sometimes, even things that people would expect to have no ill effect or a positive effect, such as using herbicides to discourage unwanted plant growth, can contribute to the deterioration of tombstones. Part of the issue with maintaining historic cemeteries is that older markers need special care and in some graveyards, even wooden markers can be found-not to mention many stone markers in very poor condition. Such tender care can be hard to come by though: the handbook suggests to "avoid mowing near gravestones and other funerary items so they will not be scraped or nicked by the machines" which is probably sage advice but may be difficult to communicate to a lawn crew. The cemeteries that will have the best chances of quality historic preservation will be those where an active interest is taken by the people actually doing physical stewardship. Walking around Kanapaha Cemetery we got a variety of impressions: for one-as in most any older graveyard-you realize that infant mortality was a serious and somber situation prior to the 1940s and a lot of infants died within the first year of life. Numerous tombstones indicated as much, with the poor Robbins family (perhaps the very same couple) having lost two infant sons within 1930s. Another little stone was only titled "Our Baby" and dated from 1878. In contrast, there were a number of women who lived into their eighties. The importance of the Woodmen of the World also was noted with two stones having the elaborate marble log of this organization crafted atop the stone itself; these elaborate stones were a benefit of membership in the order up to the 1920s but then discontinued as they were very costly to produce. What do we learn from visiting a cemetery like the small, old, one at Kanapaha? We learn that in a time of scant funds and higher costs of building, people nonetheless spent serious amounts of money in ensuring their loved ones would have a proper final resting place. Few homes in the
Most of us still care about the final resting places of our family members: I am sure those with relations in the Kanapaha Cemetery do and I am sure the church which tends to the graveyard also cares deeply for its legacy. Sometimes though, simply caring isn't enough. The website and handbook the State of Florida has, in its wisdom, put together serves as a much-needed template for the stewardship of old graveyards. Many of these stones and other aspects of older cemeteries are now old enough to show ample wear and tear and if these are to be saved, preservation efforts should begin sooner, rather than later. That thought was with me as Reese and I walked around the cemetery yesterday evening in the quiet of the setting sun. The State of Florida Division of Historical Resources website may be located here: The book Florida's Historic Cemeteries, A Preservation Handbook can be downloaded free of charge as a PDF from the site above. MIKE WALKER is a Gainesville, Florida, writer and journalist who writes for a variety of publications about ecology, natural history, travel, and the environment. He may be reached at: cloudrace@prontomail.com |
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