Cemetery Clean-Up

 Photo taken during a visit to the cemetery in spring, 2013.

 We are excited and pleased to announce that cleanup of Fackler's Grove Cemetery is to begin on Saturday, June 1, 2013 (rain day is June 15th).

Sam Wertz, a member of Red Cedar District, Hawkeye Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, has taken on the initial cleanup of the cemetery as an Eagle Scout project.  We have met several times with Sam and his father David to thoroughly agree on how to proceed.

A party of six Scouts accompanied by seven adults will begin working on removal of brush, mowing and weed-eating weeds, spot killing of invasive species such as multiflora rose, removal of small saplings and small dead trees, and making the gate/ entrance fencing more accessible. This will all be done taking into careful consideration the grave markers that are present, so as not to disturb or harm them.

Removal of large trees will be undertaken at a later date.

In other news ....

Cheri Franke of Ely, who has expertise in prairie plant identification, and Clary Illian visited the cemetery and identified prairie plants that are present.  They also identified invasive species that need to be spot-killed and relayed that information to the Scouts.

Clary Illian and Barb Horak of the Ely Community History Society (ECHS) met with the Big Grove Board of Trustees on May 21, to present a plan of action and discuss the project. 

The Big Grove Trustees intend to budget monies toward the project.  They will be responsible for long-term upkeep and maintenance.

ECHS has committed $500 as “seed money” to help with the project, and $500 to go toward later phases of the project, such as repair/restoration of grave markers and signage.

ECHS has received $275 in donations from Fackler descendants so far, with indications of more support to come from other descendants and interested parties.

We are now in Phase 1 of the project.  Phase II will address fencing, and Phase III will involve restoration of grave markers and signage.

We have been unsuccessful in obtaining a plot map of the cemetery.  There may not be one.  If anyone knows of one, please contact us!

If you wish to donate toward this worthy project, please send your check with "Fackler's Grove Cemetery Project" in the memo line to:

 Ely Community History Society, Inc.
  P.O. Box 191
  Ely, IA 52227

The ECHS is a not-for-profit organization.

 Photo taken during a visit to the cemetery in spring, 2013.