The condition of Fairview Cemetery has been in decline for decades. It first caught my attention in 1997, when I began hunting for the grave of a young woman who died in 1918.
By 1900, Fairview was Lehigh Valley's most prestigious cemetery. It would become the final resting place of Allentown's most prominent citizens, including Harry Trexler, John Leh, Jack Mack and numerous others. Despite my status as a dissident chronicler of local government and a critic of the local press, my postings caught the attention of a previous editor at the Morning Call, whose own grandmother is buried at Fairview. While the paper did a story on my efforts in 2008, and I did manage to coordinate a meeting between management and some concerned citizens, any benefit to the cemetery's condition was short lived.
Internet search engines have long arms. In the following years I would receive messages from various people upset about conditions at the cemetery. A few years ago, Tyler Fatzinger became interested in the cemetery, and took it upon himself to start cleaning up certain areas. I suggested to Taylor that he start a facebook page, so that concerned citizens and distressed relatives might connect. Once again the situation caught the paper's attention, and another story appeared in 2019. Tyler Fatzinger was recently informed by the cemetery operator that he was trespassing, and must cease from his efforts to improve the cemetery.
Why would both the cemetery and city establishments reject help, and discourage shining a light on this situation? Orphan cemeteries are a problem across the country. An orphan cemetery is an old cemetery no longer affiliated with an active congregation or a funded organization. These cemeteries are often large, with no concerned descendants or remaining funds. While perpetual care may have been paid by family decades earlier, those funds in current dollars are woefully short.
In Fairview's case, the current management operates a crematorium and also conducts new burials on the grounds. Funds from the previous management were supposedly not passed forward. While the Trexler Trust maintains Harry Trexler's grave, and a few other plots are privately maintained, there understandably is no desire to take responsibility for the entire sixty acre cemetery. The current operator provides minimal care to the cemetery, with even less for those sections toward the back. While the cemetery grass may only be cut twice a season, that's still more care than a true "orphan cemetery" would receive. Some of the new burials appear to be on old plots, owned by other families, but unused for many, many decades, and on former areas designated as pathways between those plots. There seems to be no regulatory oversight. Recently, both state senator Pat Browne and the Orloski Law firm have acted in behalf of the cemetery operator.
While family members may be exasperated by the neglect, local government does not seem eager to adopt either the problem or the expense of Fairview Cemetery.
reprinted from June of 2021
Two questions:
ReplyDelete1). When you say “…both state senator Pat Browne and the Orloski Law firm have acted in behalf of the cemetery operator.”, what does that mean?
2). Is this even in Senator Coleman’s district? I know the district was redrawn towards the end of Browne’s term, leaving him with a very small sliver of Allentown. While I’ve been impressed with Coleman so far, I wouldn’t expect him to take on specific projects in other Senators’ areas.
A letter warning Fatzinger about trespassing came through Orloski's office. Browne had issued a statement that the cemetery was in compliance with state law. I do not know in which current district the cemetery lies. Even if in Coleman's district, it is an extremely difficult situation.
DeleteThese maps are not easy to decipher. Coleman's 16th district seems to include Allentown's 13th and 18th wards. Fairview appears to be in ward 12, which appears to be part of NicK Miller's 14th District. I trust that Coleman's office will pass our concerns on to his fellow senator.
DeleteAllentown has been gerrymandering into multiple senate and house districts. Any PA house or senate member who has constituents in the city has a right to act on city issues that could effect his constituents.
Delete6:02 - While I don’t disagree with your statement, you have a much better chance of having an issue addressed if you make the case directly to the Senator/Representative who represents the area where the problem is.
DeleteCan someone file a petition in Orphans' Court, since it's a nonprofit corporation?
ReplyDeleteWe read of the ‘caretaker,’ the ‘operator,’ but who is the legal OWNER of those acres. I’d like to express my disappointment to the entity ultimately responsible for choosing this neglect.
ReplyDeleteanons@7:32, 8:33: I host some, but not all comments, especially not questions. I'm not an answer bureau. Fairview cemetery is operated by Boyko funeral home, which is at the front of the cemetery on Lehigh Street.
ReplyDeleteThis does not bode well. I don't know about you, MM, but I would have to say that Allentown finds itself in a grave situation.
ReplyDeleteWithout knowing who is the legal owner of the property, there is very little anyone can do but talk about the deplorable conditions.
ReplyDeleteanon@9:49: The legal owner is the Fairview Cemetery Association, and the only members of that association are the Boyko's. Numerous people have spend countless hours working in that cemetery without the owner's permission, and countless hours campaigning to improve conditions there. So now you know Mr. Anonymous, we'll see what you do.
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