Cape receives grant toward restoring Old Lorimier cemetery

Cape Girardeau was awarded a $5,500 grant to be put towards restoring Old Lorimier cemetery at 500 N. Fountain St.

The grant will fund a two-day preservation workshop for the public and pay for an outside consultant to evaluate the condition of stones and give an estimate on restoration costs.

Officials say the money is badly needed. "We have years and years of moss overgrowth and fungus gets into the cracks and damages the stone," said Brenda Schloss, a planning technician with planning and zoning. "We've already lost a lot of headstones. There used to be between 5,000 and 7,000, but now we have less than 1,500."

The cemetery, which was established in 1808, has been the site of vandalism in recent years. It was surrounded by a fence in 1992, but vandals knocked over 69 headstones in October of 2005.

The workshop will likely take place in September. The Cape Girardeau historic preservation commission will rely on the efforts of volunteers to help.

"We need to teach people the proper way to preserve headstones, so a lot of the workshop will take place in Old Lorimier itself where the consultant can demonstrate the proper techniques," said Schloss.

Schloss said the commission will also work on producing a hands-on manual with instructions for cemetery restoration.

State Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said the $5,500 comes from the federal Historic Preservation Fund and was allocated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. This grant, he said, can be the beginning of a productive relationship for Cape Girardeau. "First we need to get some people trained as far as preservation is concerned, and then continue this partnership that includes people on the state, federal and local levels."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245