BY JOSH DAVISNorth Country This Week

CANTON— Work has begun to restore parts of Old Canton Cemetery, the resting place of U.S. Senator and Canton resident Silas Wright. 

 For the first time in several years the abandoned nineteenth-century cemetery in the village of Canton has received major upgrades, following a perennial challenge in maintaining it. Village of Canton Public Works crews have replaced a section of fencing at the Miner Street cemetery and will reportedly take over general maintenance at the site, including mowing. 

Village Mayor Michael Dalton said that he and Village DPW Superintendent Tim Bacon renewed the conversation surrounding the cemetery this spring, asking Historian Casey Denis to look into possible grants available to fund its restoration. 

At the June meeting of the village board, Mayor Dalton reported that the site’s condition has improved appreciably since the DPW took the lead on its maintenance and restoration.

The Mayor said the village is “trying to get some things cleaned up up there,” adding that the work has made the cemetery “much more presentable.”

“It does look good,” Deputy Mayor Anna Sorensen agreed. 

DPW Superintendent Bacon said the next step will be to paint the newly-repaired fence, which must first dry as it is made of pressure-treated wood. He said that crews hope to paint the fencing before winter, though the materials could take longer to dry depending on summer weather.

“If you put it on when it’s wet it’s going to come back off,” Bacon said. 

Under state law, abandoned cemeteries are the responsibility of the municipality where they are located. Their care is often provided by local crews while their records are maintained by the historian’s office.  Abandoned cemeteries in the town of Canton are maintained by town crews. 

Historian Denis has been in contact with a local Rotary Club chapter about potential volunteer service opportunities at the cemetery. In October, the village coordinated a cleanup effort for the cemetery with volunteers from Clarkson University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps.  

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