Middletown Cemetery Vault

Nice effort on your part from beginning to end Vivian. Just totally unnecessary and meaningless for the city to have given you and your volunteer group, all the grief you encountered over the years. In the end, IMO, the correct decision was made.

Want to thank the cemetery board folks out there for their efforts on the continuation of the improvements from a long neglected piece of the town's history.

I would like to think that if my grandfather were alive, he would have thanked the people who are responsible for the newfound interest in the cemetery. Remember as a kid, going with him to the Stillwaugh gravesite to unload the lawnmower, cut the small plot, use hand trimmers (weed eaters weren't invented then) to trim around the stones and do it all over again in a week or two. Back then, we two visited the gravesite there and those at Woodside often.

Bravo!!!!!!  If you own something take care of it, thats how hard it is. The Board stepped up and got one more thing on the LIST happening.  Good call on the LEADERSHIP change.  It ain't always easy to make everyone happy.

[QUOTE=Vivian Moon]

I’m sorry for the misinformation….
Houston Bros will start work Tuesday morning, October 11, 2011 on the restoration of the stone work of the vault.
Thank You to the following for their donations….
Martha Newton Estate, Middletown Community Foundation and W. E. Smith History grant.

Ms Morrison

I always try to do my research and get all the facts right. Houston Bros gave me the information last week and this week also. So as you can see I did go to the source.

The total cost of the restoration of the stonework on the vault is $43,000.
When this funding went before City Council they stated that the $43,000 was from three donors:
Martha Newton Estate…………………..…..$25,000
Middletown Community Foundation….....$15,000
W. S. Smith History Grant……………….....$3,000
TOTAL……………………………………….....……$43,000

Also Dan Tracy will be donating a termite application for the vault next spring.

I presume that the other donations that you listed will be used for the roof, cupola, new steel doors and other items next spring.

Really People?

Really? A cemetery vault!

To everyone that rants about Pendleton and Cincy State but sings the praise of saving the vault.

What a waste of money

Middletown29 wrote: Really? A cemetery vault! To everyone that rants about Pendleton and Cincy State but sings the praise of saving the vault. What a waste of money

Looks like most of the money that will be used for the restoration of the vault is coming from private donations or grants. Isn't coming from the pockets of the taxpayer is it? IMO, as long as it doesn't infringe on the tax money collected and remains a private venture decision to fund it, shouldn't be an issue, right?

As to your comment about Cincy State and the Pendleton......the Pendletown has used several hundred thousand dollars of Middletown taxpayer money and has minimal success to date. Not a good return on investment so far, wouldn't you say. As to Cinci State- over $450,000 worth of taxpayer money used by the city to purchase 4 Thatcher buildings with no firm contract signed for usage......mothballing a bank building and the Manchester, half the buildings bought....AGAIN, USING TAXPAYER MONEY......The vault......minimal to no taxpayer money used......that's the difference Midd 29. Isn't it just a tad bit of a change to see some of the past kept because this group of city leaders are on a "knock everything down/destroy any of the city's past/leave open barren wasteland in it's place" program.

As for Vivian.....some may not like her direct approach but shouldn't we all be appreciative for Vivian and her group of volunteers and what they decided to do at the cemetery? Then, to add insult to injury, have it shoved back at them by Gilleland and company for their efforts? An effort by a group of citizens who cared and the city showing no class in their reaction to the effort. Disgusting and childish on the part of the city leaders, IMO.

Theres know better way to discourage help than not focusing on the issue.  WE own this parcel of land, it needs attention. 

Any idea if they are using lime based mortar or not?

Viper771

Houston Bros uses a lime base N mortar for all restorations work.

 

 

In May of this year, two of the board members with donations from area businesses planted flowers and laid mulch at the cemetery to help beautify it for Memorial Day Weekend and one of the Board Members took charge of the Bright Spot Planters.  Last Sunday I went to the Cemetery to Lock the gate and Noticed that someone has planted new flowers in the front flower beds at the cemetery.  They look beautiful and I would like to say thank you to whomever did this.  It is a bright spot...