The Blue Slate Cemetery Project

Clean-up of the Blue Slate Cemetery in Slate Lick, PA  (May 2001 - October 2003)

On May 12, 2001 , members of Camp #71 gathered in Slate Lick to begin the clean-up of the overgrown Blue Slate Cemetery.  Armed with weed-eaters, saws, and even hand cycles, the members went to work cutting down the thick growths of briar patches.  The briars proved to be the toughest part, snagging clothes and skin.  We even had to switch from plastic to metal blades on the weed-eaters.  After a few hours, however, we had the cemetery mostly cleared and the once hidden gravestones were again visible.  The members who led this clean-up effort were Don Collar, Al Stasiak, Tom Grimm and family, and Aaron Hooks.  The Camp was also assisted by several members of the 78^th PA, Co. F.  It was also decided that two clean-ups would be held each year, one in the spring and one in the fall, to maintain the cemetery.  Photos of the first clean-up day are shown below.

            Members of Camp #71 again met at the cemetery in October 2001 for our second clean-up of the year.  Surprisingly, very little of what we had cleared out had begun to grow back over the summer, so our crew set to work clearing more brush around the perimeter and raking the ground of the felled brush.

            Returning in April 2002, the members of Camp #71 were again very pleased to see the cemetery looked the same as it had after the past clean-up.  During this day, members finished raking the grounds of felled brush and continued maintaining the perimeter.  From here, the maintenance would be fairly routine work and we would just have to wait for the grass and green ground cover to reestablish itself.

            In April and October 2003, members of Camp #71 continued maintaining the cemetery while making some progress on the outlying borders.  Plans were also  being made to bring in a mower to cut the grass lower and begin leveling out several spots.  The following year, however, a local boy scout troop took over the project and the members of Camp #71 were unable to complete the project.

Ken and Dave work on cutting a section of high weeds.  

A section of the cemetery as it looked after being cleared of the high weeds.  Several Civil War veterans are buried in the cemetery.

Members who attended the first clean-up day pose for a picture after a day of clearing briars and high grass.  (L-R)  Al Stasiak, Aaron Hooks, Ken Stivenson, Tom Grimm, and Dave Jablonowski.

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