Cemetery Fence Restoration Project
on South Manitou Island

The first volunteer project of the 2011 season on South Manitou Island was completed early in June. Fifteen independent volunteers joined NPS Historic Architect Kimberly Mann and Volunteer Coordinator, Ranger David Chew, in replacing the fence around the island's one-acre main cemetery.

Some 110 black locust fence posts, harvested by Kim and a crew of young volunteers from Traverse City's SEEDS Youth Corps from stands within the park and de-barked by Claude Fields and friends, then transported to the island aboard the Nahma, the Park's Munson Packman LC barge. Of these, 95 were used to replace all the old rotted fence posts, providing new support for the historically authentic woven-wire fencing surrounding the cemetery. Black locust stands were commonly planted by farmers "back in the day" exactly for this purpose; such fence posts were known to sometimes last for over a century. Heavy and never straight, their irregular twists and quirks result in a much more authentic-looking surround for the historic cemetery, and one that is likely to become increasingly comfortable in this setting as it ages.

A collection images has been provided by VIP volunteer Gwen Glatz. These original images include:

• smicf9396.jpg: Margaret Kelly, retired Librarian from Traverse City, happily mans the post hole digger.
• smicf9397.jpg: Steve Hicks from Woodland, MI, a long-time NPS volunteer with equipment ratings.
• smicf9401.jpg: Chuck Zolper, with the brothers Jack and Steve Sheridan, remove old posts — all from the Saugatuck/Douglas area.
• smicf9403.jpg: Andrew Glatz from South Lion, MI — 18-year old grandson of island volunteer, Gwen Glatz.
• smicf9441.jpg: Steve Hicks — ready for action (and always in a good mood.)
• smicf9442.jpg: Dorothy Cooley and Margaret Kelly doing the heavy lifting.
• smicf9446.jpg: Steve Hicks at work, trimming the fence post to size.
• smicf9448.jpg: The pole setting trio: Andrew Glatz, Steve Sheridan, and Patty Kelly's 16-year old grandson, Joseph Craft the 16-year old grandson of Patty Kelly.
• smicf9449.jpg: Steve Sheridan, Joseph Craft, and Andrew Glatz.
• smicf9450.jpg: Steve Sheridan, Joseph Craft, and Andrew Glatz.
• smicf9451.jpg: Patty Kelly from Holt, MI put in 93-hours on the mowers and "weed whipper."
• smicf9452.jpg: Maintenance Ranger and Volunteer Coordinator David Chew planned task assignments and convened task-related safety conferences each morning.
• smicf9454.jpg: Ringneck snakes who had set up homes in the old rotted pine fence posts were rescued by Andrew Glatz, who helped them move.
• smicf9456.jpg: Andrew Glatz, with Jack Sheridan holding another about-to-become-homeless Ringneck snake.
• smicf9458.jpg: Jack Sheridan teases snake rescuer Andrew Glatz.
• smicf9459.jpg: On the road again — Chuck Zolper, Jack and Steve Sheridan; Patty Kelly and Ranger David Chew.
• smicf9512.jpg: The newly finished gateway.
• smicf9513.jpg: A new look for the cemetery's front side.
• smicf9514.jpg: The view along the south-side, with its newly cleared and trimmed border, is reminiscent of the old pasture lanes common to the area in years gone by.
• smicf9521.jpg: The woodsy north side of the cemetery, with its picturesque gnarled old beech tree.