THERESA, New York (WWNY) – There’s a sea of forgotten names stretching back hundreds of years at the Old Theresa Cemetery. It’s one of five that town historian Tim Minnick oversees. He wants to help people remember.
“I’m doing this for the people after me. You know, I have this philosophy if I don’t do it, will somebody else down the road,” he said.
Cleanup is underway to help preserve the cemeteries including cleaning the gravestones and ensuring they are pointing the correct historical way.
“We’re gonna re-erect all the headstones, making sure they face east, the way the original people set it up,” said Minnick.
The passion for history is there, but the funding to keep the passion alive is nonexistent. Towns are required by New York state law to provide general upkeep for old cemeteries but there isn’t funding to do so.
“The state requires every town and village to have a historian but they don’t fund it,” said Minnick.
That can be problematic when the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers need someone to look after them, whether it’s the grass above them or something that towers much higher.
“Hoss Tree Service showed up to take down the big trees behind me,” said Minnick.
The best part of the tree removal: it was free for the town.
“We’re honored to have people around us and in our town and near us to do things like that to volunteer their time and services,” said Steven Marcinkowski, town supervisor.
With cleanup starting, a new chapter of history becomes easier to observe.
“History ultimately begins and ends in cemeteries,” said Minnick.
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