St. John Township seeks town help, grants to halt erosion at historic cemetery in Schererville

St. John Township representatives told the Schererville Town Council on Jan. 15 that a township-owned cemetery inside the town is suffering continuing erosion that threatens graves and needs engineering work and possible grant funding.

At a council meeting presentation, Kathy LaRue of Saint John Township said erosion along the cemetery’s west side has exposed remains and that township staff can no longer locate at least one person interred in an unmarked pauper grave from 1994. LaRue said she met with the Department of Natural Resources in December and that DNR advised the township to commission a ground-penetrating radar survey and a geotechnical investigation to determine what type of retaining wall would be required.

The township’s attorney, Adam Ceddia, told the council that because the cemetery parcel lies within the Town of Schererville’s boundaries, the town would need to adopt a local historic preservation ordinance and designate the cemetery as a historic district to make the site eligible for some private and public grants. Ceddia described how a municipal historic preservation commission (typically three to seven members) would review exterior modifications in a district and said organizations such as Indiana Landmarks can help municipalities through the process.

Why it matters: LaRue said the site contains historically significant burials, including a Revolutionary War veteran, a Mexican War veteran and three Civil War veterans, and that without structural intervention the cemetery could be lost to erosion over time. The township lacks the funding and said designation as a historic site would improve grant prospects.

Town council members offered preliminary, nonbinding help. Councilman Tom Schmidt suggested public-works staff and the town engineer visit the site; LaRue agreed to coordinate with Public Works Director Chad Nandorff and Town Manager Jim Gorman. Ceddia said the township must submit any construction plan to DNR for review and approval before work can proceed.

Details discussed: LaRue and Ceddia described the next technical steps as (1) a ground-penetrating radar survey to locate burials and the subsurface extent of erosion, (2) a geotechnical study to determine soil conditions and retaining-wall design, and (3) a design and permitting process submitted to DNR. LaRue said an engineer has already visited the site and that Thomas Burke (Burke Engineering) was engaged to assist; she also reported speaking with the county surveyor’s office to reconcile boundary lines that the erosion has made uncertain.

Funding and timeline: No construction timeline or cost estimate was given; LaRue said the repairs “are going to cost a lot of money.” She reported outreach to the Legacy Foundation, whose CEO indicated interest if the parcel attains historic designation. The council made no formal commitment to fund the work at the meeting.

Action and next steps: There was no formal motion or vote on the cemetery at the Jan. 15 meeting. Council members agreed informally to have town staff (Public Works and the town engineer) visit the site; LaRue said she will coordinate further and may bring an ordinance draft for historic designation to a future council meeting.

Community context: LaRue said the township previously attempted erosion control measures dating back to at least 1968, that some remains may have washed downslope, and that local organizations including the Daughters of the American Revolution have maintained at least one veteran’s gravesite. The parcel’s deed is in the name of Saint John Township, although the land lies within Schererville’s municipal boundaries.

What was not decided: The council did not adopt a historic-preservation ordinance, allocate funds, or approve any contract. LaRue and Ceddia asked only for questions and information at this stage and said they were not asking the council to take binding action that night.