De Pere Greenwood Cemetery is facing an erosion crisis June 12, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
LEDGEVIEW, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Erosion issues along the De Pere Greenwood Cemetery’s riverfront property are at the center of a large restoration project and a $1 million state grant.
Sitting on the banks of the Fox River just south of the city of De Pere, the cemetery was founded in 1859 and is the oldest in Brown County, as well as the resting place for many notable people and families from the area.
Decades of rain runoff from the top of the cemetery’s hill have led to erosion and deterioration, spurring a $2.5 million restoration project with the state providing $1 million in funding.
Cemetery officials say the initial phase will focus on stabilizing the riverbank, controlling invasive plants, removing undesirable trees, implementing erosion control measures and restoring a more than 1,100-foot section of shoreline.
“After years of helping them navigate our state bureaucracies, the Cemetery can finally halt erosion from the Fox River and graves from sliding into the river. This preserves respect for the dead and prevents an ecological disaster in our waterways,” State Rep. John Macco, who represents the 88th Assembly District where the cemetery is located, said in a news release.
Julie Sowers, De Pere Greenwood Cemetery Association’s board president, added that while the grant offered a big boost, community support is still needed to finish the project.
The $1 million grant was a critical first step in starting the restoration; however, additional financial resources are required for this historical cemetery… to be maintained and cease deterioration which, left unchecked, would have the cemetery’s hillside quite literally, fall into the Fox River. We want to keep that happening from this beautiful, historical cemetery.
The Cemetery Association is seeking donations to fulfill the remaining $1.5 million, as well as volunteers to assist with various tasks.
A groundbreaking ceremony at the De Pere Greenwood Cemetery is scheduled for Nov. 27 at 11 a.m.
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