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Neighborhood Group Hopes to Restore Blackinton CemeteryBy Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
08:11PM / Tuesday, September 02, 2008
 | | This stone testifies to the many Welsh who came to work in the Blackinton mill. |
NORTH ADAMS — Volunteers spent hours on Saturday removing brush and cutting down branches and small trees that have encroached on the historic Blackinton Cemetery.
Blackinton Neighbors member Tammy Moon said it had been years since the steep, hillside cemetery on Massachusetts Avenue had been cleared.
The city mows the grounds but the flora has been creeping in for decades to cover the older monuments along its sides — some graves at the top are actually in the woods.
The cemetery dates to the early 1800s when the village, then known as Centerville, sprung up along the Hoosic River. Sanford Blackinton's textile mill became the major employer in the mid-1800s and the burgeoning borough boasted its own churches, schools and stores (company owned), and even a library, jail and railroad station.
Blackinton's family and partners had lived in the village until Blackinton moved to his new mansion, what is now the North Adams Public Library, after the Civil War. He died in 1885 and the mill went through several owners until closing in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
The Blackinton Neighbors have been around for about a decade, although its activity has waxed and waned over the years. It currently is seeking to upgrade the safety of the still-distinct neighborhood, particularly speeding by motorists along the thickly settled roadway, said Moon.
The cemetery preservation project is one of its latest efforts, she said. A stone expert came to the cemetery on Saturday to give his recommendations, some of which the group can do now and some of which will have to be done professionally.
"We'll have to raise money through grants and things like that and then we'll get the cemetery back on track," said Moon.
Local historian Paul W. Marino gave a well-attended talk on the cemetery and the history of Blackinton Village to cap off the cleanup session. |
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary. Comments are closed for this article. If you would like to contribute information on this article, e-mail us at info@iBerkshires.com |
| A very worthy effort. Thanks to all who are participating. Wish the same could be done for Hillside Cemetery. | | from: BGT | on: 09-03-2008 12:00AM
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Grew up on Mass. Ave. in the 50's. Can't remember where that cemetary was. Glad it is being restored. Mass. Ave and Blackington was a wonderful area to grow up in. Keep up the good work.
DRC | | from: David Clark | on: 09-09-2008 12:00AM
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| My grandparents, great grandparents and other family members are buried there. I remember going there a couple of times a year to visit their graves and clear away the weeds. I no longer live in the area. How do I make a contribution to the fund? | | from: Marcia | on: 09-10-2008 12:00AM
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I am a Blackinton descendant living in Lexington, MA. I visited the cemetery in the summer of 2007. I am very pleased to see the cemetery being restored.
Tom (lexna@comcast.net) | | from: Tom | on: 10-29-2008 12:00AM
I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0) |
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