Hallowed ground shouldn’t contain weeds, said General Manager of the MBCB, Bill Bledsoe. He said it's time for the community to take care of it's own.
May 16, the Milton Benevolent Cemetery Board (MBCB) will hold a Homecoming Cleanup of the historical Milton cemetery starting at 7 a.m. The cleanup will also serve as an invitation for the public to take part in the MBCB’s new endeavor called “Adopt A Plot.”
According to Bledsoe, cemeteries fall into different categories under state law. Milton’s, he said, is a community cemetery where family members are to take care of their own plots.
“We have a lot of plots with no family,” he said and the MBCB invites the community to adopt plots to clean.
“It would only take about an hour every other week to keep it clean, not a lot of work to it. That's the Adopt A Plot plan. And we have quite a number of old 100 year, 125 year old grave sites with an old rusty wrought-iron fence around them and of course there's no fence around and they would be good for Adopt A Plot.”
Pam Mitchell, on the MBCB, is in charge of this year’s first cleanup. She said the board is looking to generate more interest from the relatives of those resting in the cemetery and added, “Community groups, churches, Milton families, maybe they’ll adopt a plot.” She said she’s looking to regularly hold a cleanup prior to Mother’s Day and again in November.
“It’s really sad when you go out there. These beautiful sites are neglected,” she said.
Mitchell said future plans for the cemetery include beautification. “Once we’re beyond the nuts and bolts of getting what’s there cleaned up, we will get plants and shrubs to beautify. We’ll start by cleaning then add landscaping. The big deal now is getting cleaned up and more presentable. We’ll worry about landscaping later.”
Last May, the Press Gazette told the story of “Babyland,” Bledsoe’s term for a pair of plots where stillborn and abandoned rest. Mitchell mentioned the same area.
“A lot of them are unknown graves. Some (died) from fever, some very contemporary. It’s really heart wrenching. Community groups might take that section and do something to beautify it.”
For questions on the cleanup or adopting a cemetery plot, contact Bledsoe at 686-1122 or Mitchell at 324-6682. The cleanup begins at 7 a.m., but Mitchell said, “You don’t have to commit to five hours. Even an hour is great.” If attending the cleanup, be sure to come prepared with gloves, tools, a hat, and sun protection.
WANT TO HELP?
What? Homecoming Cleanup of the historical Milton cemetery starting at 7 a.m.
When? May 16 beginning at 7 a.m.
Where? Milton Cemetery on the corner of Berryhill Road and Keyser Street.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Historic Milton cemetery neglected, says board