This appeared in the paper today. Kind of makes we think about what I (We) could do to help out. Anyone have any ideas? Mike 3/19/01[Washington, PA "Observer-Reporter"] Historians trying to right an old wrong BY SCOTT BEVERIDGE THE OBSERVER-REPORTER CALIFORNIA - The tombstones at an historic California cemetery lay chipped and broken in three piles, overrun with weeds. But it wasn't vandals who toppled the gravestones. It was borough officials who decided to plow down the grave markers 50 years ago for reasons unknown. "I was furious," said Patricia Sample Ewing of Norfolk, Va., describing her reaction to the condition of the graveyard, which she visited last year while researching her roots. She had heard the unusual story about the stones and how they were unearthed in an archaeology dig six years ago. And she was happy to learn about plans to partially restore Union Cemetery that drew little attention until California University of Pennsylvania went looking for the tombstone of the school founder. Historians are planning a $75,000 memorial for the cemetery, and they want to build it with the burial ground's damaged grave markers. "Now that they are uncovered, I feel, personally, we should do something with them," said Art Harris, a borough councilman. "Some people think we should push them back over the hill," Harris said. "To watch them bury them again, it would be terrible," said Mary Beth Graf, spokeswoman for the California Area Historical Society. Cal U. President Angelo Armenti Jr. authorized the dig at the cemetery at the north entrance to town. He wanted to retrieve the headstone for Job Johnson, who was among those who founded the university 149 years ago, and use the stone for a small park on campus. A graduate student who led the dig found Johnson's stone, along with 196 others, but the historical society objected to Armenti's plan to take possession of the grave marker. Members of the society, as well as residents, expressed an interest in restoring the cemetery after learning about the university's project, Graf said. So Armenti had a replica made of Johnson's gravestone cast in resin, and the fake was attached to the rear of Old Main as a tribute to Johnson. Since that time, locals have pondered ideas about what to do with the stones since throwing them back into the ravine would be illegal. State law now prohibits municipalities from condemning old cemeteries. The Historic Burial Places Preservation Act of 1994 also prohibits the removal or destruction of gravestones or their fragments within a historic burial place. However, it would be impossible to put the California markers back in their original positions because no one knows exactly where the bodies are buried, Graf said. "There is no way to construct the original layout," Graf said. No one knows who owns the cemetery either, she said. "A lot of cemeteries had record-keepers. We don't even know who owns the land," she said. Harris approached council about a year ago with a plan to do something with the stones. Since that time, he and the historical society have raised about $7,000 toward the project. The society also has applied for a state grant. Local veterans organizations also have lent their support because 25 Civil War soldiers and three others from the War of 1812 are buried at the site, Graf said. She said burials date to 1760. Plans call for the development of a memorial with pathways in the least occupied section of the cemetery. The sidewalk would be flanked by two long walls veneered with the original stones. "We want to make it so people can enjoy it," Harris said. -- Thanks Mike Donaldson, Bentleyville, PA (mdonald4@bentcom.net) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mon Valley History and Genealogy Website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~pamonval/ Mon Valley: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: http://www.geocities.com/mdonald318/ My family gedcom: http://www.my-ged.com/donldson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Listowner of: Monongahela River Valley of Penna Rootsweb mailing list: PAMONVAL-L@rootsweb.com - Mail mode PAMONVAL-D@rootsweb.com - Digest mode Bieneman / Bienemann Rootsweb Mailing list Bienemann-L@rootsweb.com - Mail Mode Bienemann-D@rootsweb.com - Digest mode