When you have a genealogy hobby like I do, you spend an inordinate amount of time in cemeteries. I have poked around hundreds of headstones from Cutler Maine to Savannah Georgia. My hubby and I spent a number of hours in Roscommon Ireland searching for my relatives burial sites. We finally found “THE” Fallon cemetery one blustery afternoon, in stony Dysart, high up on a hill surrounding what the locals referred to as the Fallon Church. Most recently, we had an escorted tour thru the cemetery in Resuttao, Sicily. When I searched for this location on google maps, what I was looking at I referred to as condominiums. Yes, you guessed it, an acre or two of above ground crypts, decorated with photos and colorful flowers and offerings to the memories and souls of the deceased.
I’ve had the pleasure of traipsing all over the Woodstock cemetery on Rock City road, visiting gravesites of local people I’ve known or read about. I have family buried in one of the newer sections, dating back to 1967. My hubby has family buried in one of the older sections dating back to the early 1900’s. We’ve purchased our own burial site half way down the lane lined with grand old Maple trees. We have taken up the responsibility for tending to the headstones of our loved ones, making sure the stones are clear of grass and debris. Other families do the same for the final resting places of their loved ones.
On January 6th 2018 at 10am, at the Woodstock Town Hall, there will be a reorganizational meeting of the board of trustees of the Woodstock Cemetery. As you will see in the article By WILLIAM J. KEMBLE from December 2017, the board members at that time “relinquished control” (Kemble, 2017) of the day to day operations of the cemetery. The meeting on January 6th is, as I understand it, designed to appoint volunteers to the new board of trustees. The Woodstock Cemetery financial troubles are not new, as noted in the George Pattison articles of 2008 and 2009.
I consider the Woodstock cemetery on Rock City road a hidden treasure in our town for the following reasons:
1. By far, one of the best views of Meads and Overlook in the center of town.
2. Even with the poor condition of the roads, still a lovely place to walk at least a mile without the hassles of traffic.
3. Resting place for many of Woodstock’s original settlers and their families
4. Resting place for many famous artists and musicians of the 20th and 21st century.
If you are at all interested in the upkeep of this little hidden treasure in Woodstock, please consider stopping by on Saturday and listen to the proposals. If it seems like a good fit, by all means, join on!
References :
2008 Times Article by George Pattison>
2009 Times Article by George Pattison>
2017 Daily Freeman Article by William Kemble>
Rock & Roll Roadmaps>
2 comments:
Hi Janine, Do you know if the new board was formed and what they have proposed for saving the cemetery?
Here's what happned. There was a request for a show of hands as to who wanted to be on the new board of trustees - and there were no volunteers. Therefore. the town of Woodstock is by law, now in charge of the Woodstock Cemetery. I can be reached at roscommongirl@gmail.com anytime!
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