July 2020, proved to be another productive month for our volunteers with ninety hours of labor being contributed towards marker restoration and cleaning efforts, as well as caring for the grounds.

On Saturday, July 18, volunteers Beverly Helvie, Teresa Lilleboe, Beverly Smith, Don and Peggy Jennings, Lisa Cogswell, David Grant, Lorry Davis, Teresa Hopkins, Cathy Kromer, Ken and Dee Reynar, Annelise and Stella Weston joined Mary and me for our monthly marker cleaning workshop. The group finished cleaning all of the headstones in the Improved Order of Red Men section which was started in June, as well as the Beach area of the City section.

I’m very pleased to report that total restoration of the George P. Fitts block #382 in the Masonic section has been completed. Volunteers disassembled the block last fall and cleaned the original bricks over the winter. Starting in early May, we were able to repair and reset the sandstone bollards around the block and leveled and reset the monuments and other stones. Nolan Briggs of Briggs Construction, who helped construct our Kiosk pavilion and rebuild the Jacob Roudebush plot, was contracted to put in a foundation and then using those original bricks, rebuilt the walls around the 10’x20′ block. Bryan Pancheau, who restored the cemetery entrance gate and made the handrails around the Interpretive Center, did the necessary iron work. Donations from our supporters funded the entire project. Please check it out the next time you visit the cemetery. The block is located just to the left of the walkway (look for the two black metal bollards) that goes up through the Masonic section leading up into the Jewish section.

Our suggested watch of past Meet the Pioneers programs this month is the “Britt Kids,” with an audience favorite David Sours as Emil Britt, and Emma Abbey as Mollie. This story of Peter Britt’s two children was presented in 2014 and can be found as #22 under Oregon History Tales on You Tube.

Featured image above: Fitts block after restoration – photos by John McGlothlin