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Commissioners proclaim July Bellefonte Union Cemetery Month, praise volunteers
Summary
Board of Commissioners adopted Proclamation No. 34 designating July 2025 as Bellefonte Union Cemetery Month and thanked volunteers who maintain the cemetery’s roughly 8,500 graves; speakers described the site’s Civil War burials, storm damage and volunteer labor model.
The Centre County Board of Commissioners adopted Proclamation No. 34 on Tuesday, proclaiming July 2025 as Bellefonte Union Cemetery Month and recognizing volunteer efforts to maintain the historic burial ground.
Speakers from the Bellefonte Union Cemetery Association described the cemetery’s history and the scale of volunteer maintenance. "There's over 800 veterans altogether in the cemetery," a cemetery representative said, and added that the site contains more than 8,500 graves. The association noted multiple Civil War veterans are buried there and that the cemetery was formed in the 1850s as a union of three private church burial grounds.
Volunteers and community‑corrections crews provide much of the maintenance work, speakers said. One association member told the commissioners that prisoner crews and Saturday volunteers supply significant labor savings; a landscaper had quoted approximately $19,000 per month for mowing, a speaker said.
The association said recent storm damage has required tree removal and delayed upkeep; insurance has helped but did not cover all removal costs. The new community services building nearby and plans for a continuous footpath through the cemetery were mentioned as potential improvements.
Commissioners praised the volunteer effort and highlighted other county collaborations, including work on a columbarium project with the coroner's office. The board approved the proclamation by voice vote and invited cemetery representatives for a photograph.
The proclamation recognizes July as a month to promote awareness of the cemetery’s history and the volunteer labor that supports it; staff and speakers encouraged residents to volunteer through the association’s website and monthly meetings.
