Progress Report on Fackler's Grove Cemetery Project

As cold weather approaches, it is time to take a look back and plan ahead for the coming year.

We are pleased with our beginning progress.  The cemetery was cleared of brush and some trees, thanks to an Eagle Scout project, and the grounds have been mowed since June.   We have had meetings, given talks, received grant monies and donations, consulted with experts and have learned a lot.

Probing with rods has unearthed many buried footstones, bases for removed headstones, and even a couple buried headstones.  We are becoming more optimistic about being able to match headstones with their original locations in the cemetery. We have decided to postpone more thorough probing for buried stones until spring rather than having them exposed to the weather over the winter.

We have taken measurements of the positions of the stones in the cemetery and created a chart of existing features, resulting in a rough map.  We will use the map to compare to our documentation of burial listings created in the past.

Due to a family crisis our tree removal volunteer is not available and it is doubtful that tree removal we had scheduled for fall will happen.

Our next task is to create a budget request for 2014 to present to the Big Grove Trustees outlining our needs.  To that end if any of our readers have specialized knowledge and can help us to estimate the potential cost of mowing and spraying next summer, we would appreciate the help. 

Here is what we hope to accomplish next year:
 - spray to remove invasive species
 - continue upkeep, mowing
 - continue tree removal
 - repair gate/posts
 - create visitor information signage
 - continue probing /locating of graves
 - start cleaning/repair of headstones

Many people have expressed interest in helping with this project. If you are up for some physical work and can commit to a few hours of labor next season, please call Barb at 848-4074 or Clary at 848-4963.

Donation

We are pleased to receive a generous donation from the Town and Country Club of Ely area in the amount of $300 to be used toward the Fackler's Grove Cemetery Project.  Clary Illian and Barb Horak spoke to the group some weeks ago and their interest in the project led to the donation.  Thank you!

School children

(Click the photo to enlarge it)
Photo of unknown school children and their teacher found in the Vornholt
Family collection of photos.  If anyone recognizes children in it, please
contact us via email.  Thank you!  (Photo sent in by Sharon Farnsworth of Iowa City.)

Learning more

Sunday, August 25th 2013, a group from Ely Community History Society drove to the Riverside, Iowa area to view two restored pioneer cemeteries.

We visited with Arlen Nickolan, of rural Riverside, who was instrumental in restoring both cemeteries and continues to maintain them along with the local township trustees funding.

Arlen gave us a very informative talk about his experiences and tricks of the trade he had learned, as well as supplies that we will need and other tips. 

He then took us to the two cemeteries, Kupka Cemetery, located on a wooded hilltop reached by a path through fields with not many graves, and the second, Patterson Cemetery, also reached by a path through fields, which had 40+ graves stones, some of which he had to fish out of a nearby pond!

Arlen has done excellent work and we thank him for his willingness to share knowledge with us. With each encounter with people who have "already done this"  we learn so much, and we gain confidence that we can accomplish our goals at Fackler's Grove Cemetery.

Below is an article about one of the cemeteries Arlen helped restore.

Local efforts brings cemetery “back to life”

Visit with SAPIC experts

On Wednesday, July 31, 2013 ECHS members Ed Vavra, Clary Illian, & Barb Horak, as well as Robert Hach of Ely, met with Steve and Donna Story from Hawkeye, Iowa at Fackler's Grove Cemetery.

The Storys are members of the State Association for the Preservation of Iowa Cemeteries (SAPIC) and have been working in pioneer cemeteries for 30 some years.

The Storys gave us much needed information and advice, showed us how to probe for buried stones and demonstrated dowsing techniques used for finding unmarked burials, where the ground has been disturbed.

As we probed we began to find stones buried anywhere from 4 to 6 inches under the ground.  Most of these were bases of gravestones that had fallen and been moved to another location, but we did find a number of foot stones with initials and a couple of buried gravestones.

Thanks so much to Steve and Donna.  Your advice and willingness to volunteer your time is very much appreciated!

Below is a photo slide show of what we unearthed today.  Click on an image to enlarge it.  If you cannot view the slide show, click here.