Very nice package idea, John, but first we have to find somebody who cares. I read about Woodland Park ages ago, it just doesn't help with Snohomish. I hope all of you will join me in supporting Andi McDonald's Washington State Cemetery Association web site which Andi plans to have up by November 1st, God willing! She is covering every county in the state (WA state, not Washington DC). She wants to list every cemetery; big ones, little ones, private ones, endangered ones, all of them. If you know of an obscure or endangered cemetery anywhere in the state, Andi will want to know about it. I've viewed the site under construction and it is very nice, very thorough, very ambitious. "Andrea D. MacDonald" <andimac@visnetinc.com> If all cemeteries are listed somewhere, nobody can say they didn't know about them, nobody should be able to say they didn't know there were still graves there, nobody should be able to pour an asphalt parking lot over them and move an old house onto a cemetery. And, most certainly, all cemeteries should be properly deeded, restricted and cared for. Let's not allow another cemetery in this state to be abused as Snohomish has been. Norma John Wm Sloniker wrote: > <snip> > I have an idea that will work in any of the U.S. States, though it will > take some planning & preparation. > > Find the local small cemeteries in your areas that are no longer active > and get the title transferred to an entity or established group that has > an interest in local history, with restrictions on future use included > in the title transfer. With proper restrictions a tax emption should be > possible on the land so that a non-profit Historical group can do it. > > For research, check the history of Woodland Park in Seattle. That land > was deeded with restrictions of park use only, not to be devided. > > Didn't work. Well, almost. Seattle & WA state wanted to build a high- > way right through the center, and got their way for US-99 However, the > compromise was connecting bridges, above the highway so that many don't > notice when using the park. They didn't have grave sites to deal with. > > Today we have new laws in Washington state that require the "active" in > use cemeteries to have a Perpetual Care plan in effect to keep them the > way they are now "forever". At least that's the plan. > > For those that don't have such a plan, new burials aren't allowed. The > new law allows for inactive cemeteries to become active with the porper > Perpetual Care plan in place. There are also provisions for Historical > cemeteries, but they must be recorded as such. Planning & paperwork. > > Hopefully this will provide some ideas for others that know about a few > neglected cemeteries. Give it a try. > > John > > *====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====* > # John Wm Sloniker <johnwms@serv.net> Seattle, WA # > # (206) 789-6663 7323 - 19th Ave NW 98117-5612 # > *====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*