Boy Scout Restores Historic Veterans Cemetery In Rockland

RAMAPO, NY — The Town of Ramapo’s Evergreen Cemetery on Route 59 was refurbished by local residents who teamed up with the town to clean up the ancient site.

Town of Ramapo resident Gabriel Jersey led the initiative for his Eagle Scout project.

At the outset, he made an eight-page map of the cemetery accurately placing all the gravestones and markers. Then he and his group of friends and relatives tackled dead trees (one with help from the town), overgrown weeds and shrubs, and the many broken and fallen gravestones.

They repositioned markers on newly mortared foundations. They stabilized others in new holes and turned broken stones into ground ledgers. They removed the dirty and torn flags at veterans' graves and replaced them with new flags.

They used artillery shells given to them by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to spruce up the cemetery's sign.

At a recent Town Board meeting, Jersey's hard efforts and organizational skills were lauded by the Supervisor and the Board.

"This year, for this first time, we hosted our annual Memorial Day service at the newly enhanced Evergreen Cemetery which is the final resting ground of many local and Rockland County Veterans," said Supervisor Michael Specht. "We thank Gabriel Jersey, a local Boy Scout, who did a remarkable job in restoring this historic place."