Initiative aims to restore dignity to overgrown cemetery
This is a story about what the living owe the dead and – more specifically – what Cincinnati owes the thousands of people buried in an overgrown portion of West Price Hill called Potter’s Field.
“They’re the forgotten people,” said Mary Jo Bazeley, a volunteer who has been working for 20 years to clean up edges of the 26-acre site.
“I was raised in the country, in Clermont County, and people that have preceded us are treated with great respect,” she said.
“And when you come here – these are people, these are human beings – and yet, I don’t feel that they are treated with the same respect.” A new effort called the Potter’s Field Initiative aims to change that.
AS MANY AS TWENTY THOUSANDPEOPLE ARE BURIED IN ANOVERGROWN CEMETERY IN WESTPRICE HILL... MOST OF THEM INUNMARKED GRAVES.POTTER'S FIELDIS WHERE THE CITY AND COUNTYUSED TO BURY PEOPLE WHOCOULDN'T PAY FOR THEIR BURIALOR BE IDENTIFIED AFTER THEYDIED.WCPO NINE NEWS REPORTERLUCY MAY HAS THS STORY ABOUT ANEW EFFORT TO RESTORE DIGNITYAND RESPECT TO THE SITE."I was raised in the country,in Clermont County, and peoplethat have preceded us aretreated with greatrespect."MARY JO BAZELEY HAS BEENWORKING TO HELP CLEAN UPPOTTER'S FIELD FOR 20 YEARS -OFTEN WITH VOLUNTEERS FROMELDER HIGHSCHOOL."And when you come here -thesare people, these arehuman beings, um, and yet - Idon't feel that they'retreated with the samerespect.""This isn't any way to treatyour fellow humanbeing."NOW MICHAEL MORGAN IS RAISINGMONEY FOR AN INITIATIVE TORESTORE DIGNITY TO THECITY-OWNED SITE."You know, I don't know thesepeople.
They aren't myrelatives.
But I think that isit just a core, basic socialcontract that we all owe eachother, you know, that, that werecognize our fellow humans asfellow humans and treat themaccordingly.""The use of this land as acemetery dates to the mid1800s.
Thousands of people areburiedhere.""Best estimate is there aresomewhere around 20,000 peopleburiedhere."UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATISTUDENTS SPENT MONTHS LASTSCHOOL YEAR DEVELOPING PLANSFOR THE 26-ACRE SITE BETWEENRAPID RUN PARK AND DUNHAMRECREATIONCENTER."You know, we're ready to dothe work in partnership withthose who want to helpout."GARRETT DIENNO SAYS CINCINNATIPARKS- WHICH OVERSEES POTTER'SFIELD FOR THE CITY - IS EAGERTO RESTORE RESPECT TO THESITE."It's a sad legacy, but wereally do hope to move forwardin a positive light, and,again, give that same dignityitdeserves."MORGAN, BAZELEY AND THE OTHERVOLUNTEERS INVOLVED HOPE THISINITIATIVE CAN TRANSFORMPOTTER'S FIELD INTO THERESTING PLACE THOSE BURIEDTHEREDESERVE."This is Emil Rinz, I think,if I pronounced that right.This is Louis Wainwright.
Overhere, we have DonaldMason."This is really the definitionof disrespect.
And I don'tthink anybody deserves to beperpetualldisrespected."LUCY MAY, WCPO NINENEWS.RESTORING POTTER'S FIELD WILLBE COMPLICATED - AND EXPENSIVE.A GO-FUND-ME CAMPAIGN ISRAISING MONEY FOR THEEFFORT.
YOU CAN FIND MOREINFORMATION ABOUT THECEMETERY'S HISTORY - AND ALINK TO THE GO-FUND-MECAMPAIGN - RIGHT NOW IN LUCY'SSTORY ON WCPO-DOT-COM.
