Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility

Many Oklahoma cemeteries are being neglected, but you can help


Many Oklahoma cemeteries are neglected (KTUL)
Many Oklahoma cemeteries are neglected (KTUL)
Facebook Share IconTwitter Share IconEmail Share Icon

While most Oklahomans have an appreciation for the state’s history, there is one aspect or our past that's been left to grow wild.

Oklahoma has far too many cemeteries that have been abandoned.

Ashli Ellis is one of the Oklahomans who recognizes that abandoning history isn't an option.

She spends much of her time working to keep up the Bald Hill Cemetery in Okmulgee County.

That includes everything from knowing the right chemicals to use to clean the headstone, to lawn work and staying safe.

While she's working, she worries about everything from snakes to the age and the weight of the big monuments.

Ellis said, "You don't want it to fall. You could damage the stone you could damage yourself. If someone else is working with you, you could damage or kill them."

Ellis took over this challenge because her late mother-in-law had been taking care of the cemetery, until her health failed.

"She said she didn't want to be buried over here with it looking like this," Ellis said. "She asked me to get it cleaned up."

While it's become a labor of love, maintaining a cemetery takes a lot of time and effort. The situation at Bald Hill is far from unique. Right now, in this same part of Okmulgee County, there are at least three cemeteries that are getting some volunteer care.

The Oklahoma Historical Society estimates there are hundreds and probably thousands of similar sites statewide.

Ellis has been getting some assistance from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

On the day we visited with here, she'd enlisted the help of a volunteer group from Coweta.

Mike Walker bought $40,000 worth of mowing and edging equipment to help places like Bald Hill.

He said its hot, dirty work, but they've done worse.

"This was an easy one. Because a lot of them, we have to go in and cut down trees down and haul the trees off and get the stumps out," Walker said.

The owner of a Sand Springs cemetery wants more of us get involved. Jerry Dillion, of Dillon Funeral Services, said schools should take advantage of the history, that's just down the road.

Bald Hill holds the remains of people who settled the area and veterans from the civil war to desert storm.

Dillon said, "Some of the people talk about the story of the dash. So, you have the date of birth, the date of death and the dash in the middle. Well, the story of that dash is an incredible story that's being lost."

Ellis believes these cemeteries are a legacy that deserves our respect.

"How we take care of things from our past kind of shows how we'll take care of things in our future. If we don’t take care of what we have how can we expect God to give us more," Ellis said.

If you'd like to get your hands dirty, there's a need for volunteers at many locations.

Ellis's doctor tells her that she needs to cut back on the work that she's doing. She can be contacted at AshliEllis10@gmail.com and asks that you put Bald Hill on the subject line.

There'a more on the Bald Hill Cemetery page on Facebook.

Loading ...