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Archiver > INPCRP > 2001-02 > 0981303928


From: "Rich Green" <>
Subject: [INPCRP] Cemetery Legsislation
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 11:25:28 -0500


Jack makes some good points with regard to the position of the property
owner. During 2000, we had the opportunity to take a look at over 70
early Indiana cemeteries. In almost every instance, the property owners
were willing to provide access to the sites; however, I am aware of
several cases in Knox County in which the land owner would not even
permit the County Cemetery Commission access to their property. Gaining
permission to fence and maintain cemeteries poses another hurdle to
cemetery preservationists. The procedure is arduous at best and to add
into the mix more state regulated provisions doesn't seem useful. I
don't know of any specific cases where property owners would be willing
to participate in any such program, but there surely must be significant
sites and cooperative property owners somewhere or there would not be
strong advocates of this legislation. There seems to be an underlying
agenda, one that really hasn't become fully apparent yet.

The notion that a tax incentive, of perhaps a few dollars, would make a
difference in the opinions of landowners, one way or the other, doesn't
ring true. Referring to the classified forest program as an example
doesn't fly either inasmuch as the comparison is of relatively large
parcels of land to areas typically less than an acre. While we're on
the subject of the classified forest concept, I don't think that there
is strong evidence that this program is all that rewarding for
landowners either. The tax incentive, even on several hundred acres,
may not be worth the trouble of ensuing government intervention and
management all things considered.

Still, the pioneer cemeteries do contain historical information that may
not yet be recorded elsewhere. During cleanup and restoration of these
sites, the diligently recorded information recovered and preserved on
headstones may be the only information available to historians and
researchers. To just let these places continue to fall into ruin, or
worse yet to be destroyed entirely, is not unlike letting the pages of
Indiana history blow away with the wind.

It is evident that there should be a state sponsored entity to oversee
the management of this information. Individuals and small groups don't
have the wherewithal to do this work in large scale and often do
whatever they can at their own expense. In my opinion, the concept of a
centralized cemetery registry and database is sound. And, it would seem
to me that the designated entity should make use of public funds and
that said funding should be redistributed to the groups and
organizations actually carrying out much of the labor.

Instead, it would appear that there are special interest sponsors to
these various bills. It would be interesting to compare the list of
proponents of the ongoing cemetery preservation legislation (since 1988)
with the list of grant fund, or other ancillary benefit, recipients both
historically and in the future. My guess is that there are probably
some parallels. Cemetery preservation and or destruction is the kind of
controversial subject that garners support to omnibus bills, generally
with attachments that have distinct but perhaps less apparent ulterior
motives.

Again, it is essential to urge the congressional representatives to act
in behalf of Indiana's cultural heritage and cemetery resources. If
these sites aren't recorded with some expediency, more most certainly
will be lost. Jack makes another good point when he allows as how we
should be making use of the laws already on the books. I would add that
any new legislation should serve to make the process less complicated,
more accessible to the public and should provide funding to the people
who are out there year after year actually getting it done and
preserving Indiana's cemeteries.

Regards,

Rich Green
Historic Archaeological Research
4338 Hadley Court
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Office: (765) 464-8735
Home: (765) 464-8095
http://www.har-indy.com


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