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Date: 8/2/2022
AMHERST – Renovations at the West Cemetery, the oldest burying ground in Amherst, have begun to reset, repair and assess dozens of headstones, obelisks and monuments with contractors from Ludlow Memorial Company, the town recently announced.
Among others, the cemetery is the permanent resting place of veterans from the Civil War, including the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, educator William Smith Clark and poet Emily Dickinson. The project is being funded by $40,000 from Community Preservation Act funds and was recommended by the Historical Commission with a focus on the African American burial section and the 1870s knoll in the section closest to Triangle Street.
“Historic preservation is important because it’s a way of transmitting stories of the town’s past to future generations,” Town Planner Ben Breger said. “Many of Amherst’s most important figures are laid to rest in West Cemetery. Together with the Amherst History Mural, West Cemetery is an invaluable historic resource to learn about Amherst’s history. Also, the cemetery itself shows the original, unaltered landscape of downtown Amherst, before the terrain was graded for development.”
So far, the contractors have cleaned the stones in the two sections by using a special treatment to “remove biological growth” and to “reset and repair fallen and cracked stones using heavy equipment and mortar,” according to the release. Restoration of West Cemetery dates back to 1998 when it was named as one of the most endangered historic resources in the state and has suffered from “years of environmental damage, uncontrolled foot traffic, vandalism, and inappropriate use.”
The town’s Planning Department, Department of Public Works (DPW) and Historical Commission have future plans for additional headstone restoration and replacing the chain link fence which runs along the eastern side of the property.
“Headstones degrade naturally over time due to environmental exposure,” Breger said. “Issues include biological growth [like] moss or lichen which obscures the faces of the stones and also the freezing and thawing of the ground which results in the stones heaving and potentially cracking. However, there is more than just natural degradation at West Cemetery. Over the years, whether intentional or not, many stones have been knocked over by people who touch them and by cars that hit the stones at the edge of the road.”
The cemetery was built in 1703, 56 years before Amherst separated from Hadley. It was expanded in 1833 and 1870 and is now considered a valuable historic resource, green space and an attraction for both residents and visitors.
“Residents are advised to not touch headstones, lean against them, or to attempt to repair or clean the stones themselves,” Breger said. “Some headstones which look stable are actually quite unstable and can fall over, resulting in injury. Furthermore, headstones should only be cleaned with highly specific chemicals which destroy biological growth without further damaging the stones. Residents are encouraged to visit and enjoy the cemetery and to report any signs of misuse or damage. Crews from the DPW Tree and Grounds Division routinely clean and maintain the cemetery grounds.”