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Cemetery Board requests 18 memorial bricks for unknown burials as transfer of new cemetery section advances
Summary
The Bluff Cemetery Board reported progress on acquiring a new cemetery section west of the existing plots, recommended five SHPO-based forms for recordkeeping, and proposed ordering 18 engraved flat memorial bricks (18 × $39 = $702) to mark unknown burials; the council expressed support pending the land transfer from Southwest Heritage Foundation.
Representatives of the Bluff Cemetery Board reported to the council April 21 that talks continue with the Southwest Heritage Foundation to transfer a rectangular parcel west of the existing Bluff Cemetery that extends toward the trail east of the Great House.
The board said current plots in the existing cemetery are placed closely together and that a redesign of plot spacing will be part of planning for the new section. Mary Gillam evaluated bedrock depths for the new area and the board reported ground-penetrating radar (GPR) did not locate bedrock or previously unknown burials in the proposed section. The board also recommended five revised forms — Plot Request & Payment, Transfer of Right of Burial, Cemetery Interment, Requested Right of Burial Relocation, and Certificate of Burial — that follow guidance from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); the forms will be both fillable and filed electronically and physically.
To honor 18 individuals whose graves are listed as unknown, the Cemetery Board recommended purchasing 18 flat, engravable memorial bricks engraved "unknown" at $39 each (total approximately $702 including shipping). Councilmembers said they were comfortable with the proposed purchase and discussed holding a ceremony and cleanup day to set the bricks once the new section is transferred. The cemetery board noted that if a plot proves unusable due to bedrock or an existing occupant, the policy language will allow reassignment or refund, consistent with SHPO guidance.
The Cemetery Board thanked the council for support and requested the town acknowledge Mary Gillam for her site evaluation. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for May 8, 2026.
