[MassHistPres] Historic "abandoned" burial grounds

[Betty Slade]

Westport never had a cemetery corporation.  Two cemeteries were owned by Associations but the Town took them over when the Association dissolved.  CPA funds were used for a new fence for the two cemeteries.  Since then the stones have been cleaned with D/2 and hundreds of repairs made under another CPA grant.  The work is done by trained volunteers so the expense to the town is minimal.  The D/2 is donated. Westport is lucky to have such volunteers and the owner of D/2 biological solutions.
 Betty SladeWestportCPA
Sent from AOL DesktopIn a message dated 6/4/2025 7:50:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, masshistpres at cs.umb.edu writes: 

In Georgetown, years ago, the Historic Union Cemetery received CPA funding for a new fence. Naturally, nothing could begin until the Town had written permission from the Cemetery owners. As it turned out, the Cemetery was owned by the Trustees of the Union Cemetery Corporation. Unbeknownst to everyone though, all of the "Trustees" had been dead for decades. Neighbors, volunteers, etc. had been mowing the lawn and managing upkeep. To make a long story short, with no one able to give permission to the town to install the fence on the cemetery land, the Corporation had to be revived at the Secretary of States Office. (The hardest part was finding an adequate number of volunteers to become the new Trustees.) 

Once revived, the corporation met and legally voted to transfer the ownership of Cemetery to the Town. Ultimately, the Board of Selectmen appointed the Historic Commission oversight. Subsequently other CPA projects were approved. More fencing; gravestone restoration; preservation plan, etc.

 

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://cms5.revize.com/revize/georgetownma/Document%2520Center/Government/Boards%2520%26%2520Commissions/Historical%2520Commission/un_cem_preservation_plan.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjk-M_gyNeNAxVWrokEHRTyGu8QFnoECEcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3JFd-r-OYLdYXjQv2eYGhY



H. LaCortiglia

Georgetown 


  
On 6/3/2025 1:43 PM, Mike Potaski via MassHistPres wrote:In Uxbridge we have a Historic Cemetery Committee appointed by the Selectboard (I believe there may be either an MGL or CMR that enables the action) that oversees and tends the "abandoned" graveyards (there are 30 something of them). Several are on deeded lots while most others are on private property unconnected to the original owners. The Committee has a positive and cooperative relationship with those property owners. Michael PotaskiUxbridge Historic CommissionFrom: MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> on behalf of Betty Slade via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Sunday, June 1, 2025 9:46 AM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Subject: [MassHistPres] Historic "abandoned" burial grounds Which town entity has responsibility to protect historic but "abandoned" burial grounds?  
 If a historic cemetery is on a lot that has no ownership, does the town have responsibility or authority to protect it from vandalism? Can the Local Historical Commission take responsibility? Betty SladeWestportCPC  
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