ROSLYN CEMETERY SIGNAGE LARGE CAP APPLICATION

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37 THE ROSLYN CEMETERIES Karyne Strom Ware 1988 Clustered serenely on fifteen acres of woods and hills, twenty-six separate, but adjacent cemeteries Form the Roslyn cemetery complex. Dating from 1886, land was purchased from or was donated by the Northern Pacific Company by Fraternal, ethnic, and civic organizations For burial of their deceased members. At least twenty-four nationalities are represented within the nearly 5,000 graves. Burial customs from those countries can be observed today. The Italians and Yugoslavians especially, used elaborate markers. Photographs of the departed can still be seen encased in clear file embedded in the tombstones. Many graves seem to be actually above the ground due to the practice of building curbings around the perimeter of the plot. The ornate and picturesque fences around plots were originally erected to protect the site from foraging cattle and wildlife. In part, the uniqueness of the Roslyn Cemetery is that, for most sections, the 'perpetual' care existed only as long as the participating organizations and/or families were around to provide the maintenance. Over the years, lodges disbanded and families died out or moved away. Except for the Veteran's, the City Cemetery #3 (//Memorial Gardens), the Masonic and the Red Men Lodge sections for which perpetual care is provided, the maintenance and restoration of this historical area has become the joint project of Fred Krueger's Cle Elum High School history class and the Roslyn Kiwanis. It has been 1 through Krueger's efforts that our communities are beginning to recognize the importance of preserving our precious heritage and relics of the past. Recently the Cie Elum High School history class was feted at an after -school supper, hosted by the Roslyn Kiwanis Club. This was in way of thanks to these young people for their part in the restoration and maintenance of the Roslyn Cemetery; a project spearheaded by their instructor, Fred Krueger. Since 1974 the local history program has grown From a small segment of a semester in Washington state History to a full two semester course of its own. Three years ago, in 1985, Krueger approached the Roslyn Kiwanis seeking a joint effort to clean up the overgrown cemeteries and to begin preserving the historical value of the area. In some of the cemeteries brush hadn't been cleared for over thirty years. Former Roslyn mayor and long -tine Kiwanian, Dave Divelbiss, says that over the years proposals were made to have the city clean the cemeteries. The legality of officially entering and maintaining privately owned land was questioned. The city attorney advised that such a practice is not legal. So the area continued to deteriorate. The Kiwanians enthusiastically endorsed Krueger's plan and retired Roslyn businessman, Fabian Kuchin, agreed to chair the committee. Kuchin, 81 years young, coordinates the clean-up crews and sets the work -pace by physically laboring right with the young people. "Much has been accomplished in the j past three years by these kids", Kuchin says. "They work four hours a week during the school year and. besides gaining a respect for our cemeteries they have learned to use many tools expertly", he continued. Over 110 truckloads of brush and debris were hauled away in 1987. As encroaching woods are cut back, forgotten tombstones emerge to reveal burial places from long ago. These discoveries are exciting A and important to those involved with the project. A video tour of the cemetery was filmed by four of the students during Memorial Day of 1987. There is a possibility it will be shown on Yakima's educational tv channel. One of the featured scenes in the video is of the kiosk that, spring to fall, occupies a prominent place at the lower entrance just in front of the new Veteran's Cemetery. Constructed of a special laminate to protect the historical pictures and texts researched and written by the history classes, this two-sided information board is an impressive addition to the cemetery. The comradery developed while working on a shared project was mentioned as a plus by class members. Another is the projects they do which focus on local historical events. The general consensus is that this class is interesting, in part, because their instructor is so interested. Nearly 150 students have been involved with their community through Fred Krueger's classes.