PLYMOUTH, Mass. — More than 300 headstones at Burial Hill now require repairs, thanks to vandals and weather damage incurred over the years.
"Burial Hill is well loved by residents as well as visitors. You can always find someone on Burial Hill even in middle of winter," said Plymouth Town Manager Melissa Arrighi. "We have people who tag various areas of town and Burial Hill is no exception."
Several headstones in the cemetery are broken. Others ravaged by time can’t be read.
They include the headstone erected for Joseph Churchill in 1836. He left Plymouth on a trip to France and was lost at sea at just 46 years of age. His son died just 6 years later in 1842, also lost at sea.
Everything in Burial Hill cemetery is an irreplaceable part of American history.
“Being a historic community there are lots of locations that have a value that’s priceless and this is one of them," Arrighi said.
Money has been allocated in 2013 and 2015. Some critics say it's taken too long, but Arrighi said these repairs need to be done right.
"It requires a bid process finding the right person following procurement law securing the contract with them," she said.