Neighborhood Group Hopes to Restore Blackinton Cemetery
 |
| This stone testifies to the many Welsh who came to work in the Blackinton mill. |
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.
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.
