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Why do historical places matter to people? Why should old places matter to historians, or to the general public that historians serve? What can we learn from the continued existence of old places in our communities and around our nation? Why does it matter if we save these old places or if we don't?
There are many reasons old places matter, from memory, to civic identity, to history, to architecture, to beauty, to economics. While most of the reasons don't fully capture all of the many meanings historical places have for people, there's one main idea to be emphasized: old places give us an understanding of history that no other documents or evidence possibly can.
Located at the corner of South Brown and Water streets, Old Town Cemetery is one of Lewistown's earliest historical landmarks. A restoration project began on April 12 to make improvements and repairs.
The completed project will refurbish the cemetery as well as preserve the early history of Lewistown. The project cost is slightly more than $180,000 and includes restoration of the Water Street 1852 stone wall and the stone wall along the alley across from the First National Bank drive-through.
Many sections are crumbling, exposing a deteriorated interior. Sections at Water Street and the alley are precarious. The restoration using the original face and cap stones from more than 170 years ago is priceless.
The crumbling interior - now loose dirt and rubble - will be replaced with a reinforced concrete core. This core will be refaced on the original stone and topped with original cap stones; many unique fossil-laden rocks gathered locally.
The outside facing Water Street will be smooth poured concrete that will house a mural, illustrating a panorama of local history, not only reflecting historical figures and everyday residents interred within, but milestone happenings in Lewistown and Mifflin County.
The renovation project will be completed in stages. Each with its own important goal for the preservation of historical markers as well as allowing organizers time to get their funding in order.
The masonry portion of the walls along Water Street and the alley will likely be finished by summer; the Water Street mural project could extend into next year.
This mural would be a fabulous addition to those which already grace the sides of buildings in downtown Lewistown. The Old Town Cemetery mural, which is expected to measure 112 feet, will illustrate the timeline of local history from the Shawnee Village of Ohesson, pioneer life of Dorcas Buchanan, Pennsylvania Canal days along Water Street and so much more to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
There's no timetable for historical preservation; the goal is to get the job done right.
The land upon which it is laid out reflects the only undeveloped track of land in Lewistown. Standing on the cemetery's topography harkens visitors back to the time of Dorcas Buchanan when Lewistown and Mifflin County were merely a dream.
Looking around inside the Old Town Cemetery, when the wall project is finished, the site will look much the way it did in the 1850s, with stately straight stone walls respecting the final resting places of early citizens.
The project will be a highlight of the community's recognition of two and a half centuries of history and heritage. Remember, history is our story. It's your story, too.