Protecting and Restoring Our Historic Cemeteries
/City of New Albany's Cemetery Department Restores Historic Tombstones – Cleanup Scheduled for Mar 15
The City of New Albany's Cemetery Department is proud to announce the restoration and protection of tombstones and monuments in two of New Albany's historic cemeteries – Fairview Cemetery and West Haven Cemetery. The department has been working tirelessly to pressure wash tombstones, repair damaged or broken stones, and bring the cemeteries to a like-new status. In the picture attached, you can see the difference made through the pressure washing efforts.
"The Cemetery Department's work in restoring these historic tombstones is a reflection of our commitment to preserving and honoring the memory of those who came before us," said Mayor Jeff Gahan. "New Albany is now over 200 years old – even more reason to maintain the beauty and history of our cemeteries for future generations."
Additionally, the full annual cleanup of both cemeteries is scheduled for March 15th. We kindly request that any flowers or mementos placed on grave sites be temporarily removed while cleanup of the cemeteries takes place.
Since 2017, the department has successfully restored and repaired 602 tombstones and this year alone, they have pressure washed and cleaned 240 tombstones. This work is important to respect the history of New Albany and to honor those who came before us and helped settle our River City.
West Haven Cemetery holds a special place in New Albany's history as it was predominantly an African American cemetery. The City of New Albany is proud to highlight the efforts of the Cemetery Department in preserving this important piece of history.