Page 1
Page 2
Page 3 |
|
S T A F F R E P O R T For the Business Meeting of December 20, 2005
Ref: C-1545, a-1792 TO: William A. Becker, City Manager FROM: City Planning Commission Martin D. Kohler, Secretary Prepared by: Joanne M. Mejias, Historic Preservation Administrator
PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to forward a recommendation from the Council on Landmarks and Historic Districts to City Council for the designation of the Middletown Cemetery located at Richmond Street and First Avenue in Middletown’s Fourth Ward as a Historic Site. BACKGROUND The original four acres of Middletown Cemetery was laid off and surveyed by James Heaton in 1827. In 1863 two more acres were added to the cemetery and in 1869 another five acres were purchased. The Middletown Cemetery Association was organized on May 25, 1878 under the special act of the Legislature which among others consisted of renowned Middletonians such as W.B. Oglesby, B. Rathman, C.S. Barnitz, and C.F. Gunkel. Many of Middletown’s founding fathers and their families are buried at the cemetery; the names Doty, Vail, Sutphin and Tytus are just a few of the tombstones found throughout the plots. The Cemetery became Middletown’s responsibility when the Association was no longer able to manage the upkeep. The City, in recent years, has only been able to do a minimum amount of maintenance and vandalism has been extreme high at the facility. Vivian Moon, a local resident, has since taken this on as a personal challenge to return the Cemetery to some semblance of its former status. New lighting has been put in place that has helped significantly with deterring undesirable elements from vandalizing the area. New signage and landscaping has been installed at the entrance. Exterior lighting has been run to the existing Vault and a plan is being developed to renovate the interior and exterior of the Vault as well as the immediate area surrounding the entrance to the structure. FINDINGS
|