Pioneering cemetery
Old Marquette graveyard refurbished
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MARQUETTE -- Any cemetery with the word "pioneer" in it is bound to have a bit of history.
Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, located at the intersection of Pioneer Road and Division Street in Marquette, has been cleaned up and refurbished as a reflection spot for the public.
A small group of people, the Friends of Holy Cross Cemetery, began working three years ago to transform Pioneer Catholic Cemetery into a scenic, park-like wooded setting.
Neil Newcomb, who became cemeteries director for the Diocese of Marquette in 2013, formed the group to support Catholic cemeteries in Marquette.
Newcomb said the idea was to transform the site into a safe place to pray in a memorial park setting.
"This is a beautiful place," he said. "It's a beautiful spot."
Newcomb said an estimated 3,000 people were buried at the site, with the exact number unknown.
"Back in the day, they didn't really record things because part of it, it was families doing it," he said.
Newcomb said some headstones had been transferred over to Holy Cross Cemetery for safekeeping, with the hope they can be returned to the renovated cemetery.
"We don't have a specific plan yet, but we're considering that," Newcomb said.
However many people are interred at the Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, the tucked-away grounds are pleasant and peaceful, although it wouldn't be a cemetery if it didn't have something eerily unique about it.
"In the late winter, you can see the indentations where there's graves up on the hill over here," Newcomb said.
Commonly known as Old Catholic Cemetery, pioneers in the area used the grounds from the mid-1800s until space ran out around 1908, according to the Diocese of Marquette. It recently was renamed in their honor.
As the old cemetery began to run out of space, Catholic burials started taking place across town at Holy Cross Cemetery along Wright Street. With maintenance focused on the new cemetery, the old cemetery began to be overgrown with vegetation.
It wasn't until the middle of the 20th century that cemeteries began to fund perpetual care endowments for permanent upkeep of cemeteries, the diocese said.
With the active Holy Cross Cemetery being well maintained, the Friends turned their focus to the old cemetery. A plan was drawn up to form a clearing in the middle of the cemetery surrounded by what Newcomb called "cathedral-like" old-growth trees.
Now complete, the cemetery has a winding crushed gravel path leading from Pioneer Road toward a 6-foot tall granite monument honoring the people buried there. Benches on either side of the monument, made from recycled plastic, allow visitors a place for rest and reflection.
The monument is engraved with the Pieta, a Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo of the Virgin Mary supporting the body of a dead Jesus Christ. It also includes what Newcomb said is a biblical verse chosen by the Most Rev. John Doerfler, bishop of Marquette.
Landscaping with native plants enhance the beauty of the area without requiring much maintenance. Also, apart from the towering trees, many wild ferns grow at the site as well, giving it a lush look.
Stations of the Cross from the closed Marygrove Retreat Center in Garden will be installed along a trail in a wooded spot at the location.
Holy Cross staff, with help from volunteers, will take care of the cemetery's 5.7 acres.
"We'll come over here pretty regularly, mow the grass, clean up, pick up branches that fall, make sure it's maintained," Newcomb said.
Unfortunately, as with many out-of-the-way spots, vandalism is a constant threat. However, Newcomb said security cameras will be perched at the cemetery.
"As a member of Friends of Holy Cross Cemetery, which worked on the revitalization of the Old Catholic Cemetery, I was privy to the planning, designs, etc., that went into transforming this sacred ground into Pioneer Catholic Cemetery," said John Fee, communications director with the Diocese of Marquette, in an email. "And yet, when I first walked down the path into the central portion of the cemetery with the monument and incredible trees surrounding it, I was awestruck.
"Those that designed the landscaping, and did the manual work of making this a place of prayer and tranquility, have done an outstanding job."
A considerable amount of volunteer and pro-bono work went into the project, with Holy Cross staff taking on additional work in revitalizing the cemetery, the diocese said. Expenses were covered by donations and some cemetery funds.
Anyone with questions about the old cemetery project, or who wants to support the work, should contact Newcomb at 906-225-0191 or nnewcomb@dioceseofmarquette.org.
A Memorial Blessing at the cemetery is scheduled for 3 p.m. Oct. 5. Bishop Doerfler will preside at the short liturgy.
Due to limited parking, a bus will be provided for attendees. It will leave 2:15 p.m. at St. Peter Cathedral, 311 Baraga Ave., and 2:30 p.m. at St. Michael Parish, 401 W. Kaye Ave., both in Marquette. It is expected to return around 3:45 p.m.
Newcomb said an annual event, such as a Memorial Day celebration, probably will take place at the cemetery.
"These people, based on the time period they lived in, were alive during the Civil War, and the change in the United States, so they saw a lot," he said.
Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.