Greene County citizens have lobbied the Greene County Board to place a landmark at the site of the Greene County Almshouse’s cemetery.
The Almshouse was destroyed by an arsonist’s fire in mid-August. Approximately one quarter mile from the building is a small cemetery where many former residents of the almshouse were buried. There are no names or headstones marking the graves.
According to records gathered in 2003, the cemetery has approximately 40-50 people buried in it. The group of citizens brought it to the Greene County Board on October 10th with final approval at their regular business meeting on October 12th.
According to a report from the Greene Prairie Press, Shields-Bishop Funeral Home was contacted and paid $3,800 for a three-foot by four-foot stone with 31 names to be engraved on it. The marker will be placed on the Almshouse property where the cemetery is located.
The Board agreed to pay for the stone out of the county’s farm fund. The farm fund generates revenue from the 250 acres that surround the Almshouse grounds and the county rents out.
No timeline has been given on erection of the monument. The remains of the Almshouse building are expected to be demolished some time this winter.