ECHOS

The Gatchell Museum once again hosted their evening programs at Willow Grove.  What an interesting way to learn a bit more about our local history and some of the early settlers in this area, who now rest in peace in the area cemeteries.

MEMORIAL DAY 2013

     Willow Grove  is a busy place this weekend, as friends and family visit to remember those, who rest inside these gates for eternity.  The staff have mowed the acres of grass and trimmed around all the tombstones. The cemetery is well maintained all year long, but it seems an extra effort is made to ensure it appears at its very best for this special day.  Some years the weather impedes their efforts, but a sunny, clear, dry week aided them for this season.

     The streets are busy, cars drive past, some with "16" license plates and others from Casper, Sheridan, and even a few are from out of state.  One of the staff is at the entrance , map in hand and giving directions to a new visitor.

         Visiting cemeteries is a family tradition for me.  As a child, my family made monthly trips to the nearby cemeteries in Iowa.   My Mother would pack a picnic lunch and it was loaded in the car along with our push lawn mower and the grass clippers, as well as flowers from our yard.  In those years before "perpetual care",

my Father saw to it that the family grave sites were mowed and trimmed and kept in good order all summer. We were seldom alone , as others families were present caring for their plots.  So there was a chance to share a visit with relatives and/or friends. Family stories were told and retold, the good times and the sad and difficult times were discussed and shared.  Putting death in perspective, for the adults, but even more importantly putting it in perspective for the children.  Yes, there was sadness!  But, there was also solace and peace and laughter.  

     My husband and I spent Saturday morning at Willow Grove.  We care for several plots there, we clean the stones and place flowers.  We say a silent prayer and for a few minutes in the quiet solitude we think of our friends and the good times we shared.  And we think of the cemeteries so far away, where many of our family lie in peace and we add a prayer for them as well.  Hopefully someone is caring for those plots, as we care for these.  A tree we planted near our plot has not survived the winter, so plans are made to have it removed and a replacement is discussed.  We purchased "our" headstone and had it installed several years ago.  One less thing for our son to have to deal with.

     We have been asked to provide photographs of a group of stones.  We locate the family plot and my husband has his digital camera, so takes pictures of the 8 stones.  Three generations buried side by side. The death dates range from 1910 to the mid 1940s and today they all have fresh flowers!  Someone has been here and remembers!  We will forward the images to a woman in Florida, to add to her family history.  We will tell her about this beautiful cemetery with its.  breath taking view of the Big Horn Mountains.  We will tell her how well maintained it is all year round, and of the animals who inhabit it daily, deer, antelope, wild turkeys, rock chucks, and rabbits.  And we will tell her of the fresh flowers at each stone.

     Champion and Ray, the casualties of the Invasion in 1892  are buried here.  Someone puts fresh flowers are at their graves each year.

     The local Historical Society purchases small arrangements for the few graves at POTTERS FIELD.  Connie Norton and I have assumed the responsibility of seeing them placed each May.  This year they are a cheery bright red.  We have printed up information sheets about the one woman, one child, and the few men buried here, as well as some information about the area.  These are laminated and then stapled to the gate post, so visitors may understand  this space outside the boundaries of the cemetery.  It is fenced and the graves have small markers.  These burials all in the early 1900s, show the community's respect and concern for these fellow citizens.

REST IN PEACE

Index to Willow Grove Cemetery

The index is now up online.  It is available from the Johnson County Library website as well as from the Johnson County website.  Made possible by the efforts of Richard Staley @ the Cemetery, Rande Money @ the Courthouse, and Megan Herold @ the Library. Pictures of tombstones made by obtained by requesting via email to   nleejennings@gmail.com.

Other burials

There are various burials all around Johnson County. for over the past 20 years, there has been an effort to locate and document these graves. the library has records for many of these and are always watchful to identify others. One that is often questioned is a headstone found along the road in the Crazy Woman Canyon. it marks the death of a young man, who was working in the area at a C.C.C. camp-but it does NOT mark his burial! He is buried at Casper, Natrona County,WY.

There are two graves on the "our" mountain located in Soldier Park.  Neither one is a soldier!

Cemetery tours

The Gatchell Museum is once again hosting cemetery tours at  Willow grove.  Local volunteers in period costume provide insight into the lives of those pioneer residents they have researched, who now lie at peace in Willow Grove. What a unique and respectful way to learn a bit more about our community and the people, who lived and worked here.  Tickets for the evenings are sold out,providing income to the other programs at the Museum.  Our accolades to Jennifer Romanoski and her dedicated volunteers.

Evening visits at Willow Grove

Several years ago Bob Edwards put together several evening tours at Willow Grove. At that time, Bob was the Education Director at the Gatchell Museum. Bob recruited local volunteers to portray the memories of some of those pioneers, who rest at Willow Grove. The actors researched their characters and prepared their own scripts. The tours were limited to a small group and they met at the entrance each evening just before dusk. They were asked to remain quiet and not interact with the "spirits". A guide carrying a lantern led the group and would stop at the appointed site and the "spirit" would appear and address the group. Then they would move on to the next site. Usually there were 6 to 8 sites visited. The group then returned to the gate and were joined by the actors, who would answer any questions. The evenings were well planned, dignified and respectful. All participants, actors and visitors expressed their satisfaction with the experience.

After a brief recess, the Museum will once again host tours in August. Whether to refresh your memory of local history or to learn something new about our area, the evening will be a pleasant one.

GOOD VOLUNTEERS

There is a website on the Internet called "FIND A GRAVE" and I try to check on it every few months. Imagine my amazement when I checked it this week and find that the volunteers have been very busy in Buffalo, WY. They have entered 1,229 graves (Willow Grove), many with pictures of the grave stones. And many listings include a nice view of the pretty entrance with its brick gate posts and wire sculpture. It is always looking neat and well cared for.

Many of the state Genweb sites have special projects, listing of graves by public input or they have entered some of the WPA listings. What a nice extra resource for the researchers.