~by Mary Weaver, special to GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Did you have a Halloween riddle posed to you, “Why are there fences around cemeteries? Answer: People are dying to get in!”
Even though Halloween has passed, the Washington Township trustees are pleased to announce the completion of the fencing around the Old Rippey Cemetery. This pioneer cemetery is one of the 17 located in Greene County.
Old Rippey was the first town in Greene County, located about 6 miles west of the current town of Rippey, adjacent to the Raccoon River, and lies south of the current Squirrel Hollow Park. The photo attached shows the black wrought iron fencing and gate at the east entrance of the cemetery. The remaining parcel has been enclosed with a chain link fence that is faintly visible in the background.
The Washington Township trustees, composed of Mary Hick, Tod Contner and Roger Norgren, invested almost $14,000 for installation of this fence. This is a part of their effort to clean and protect this pioneer cemetery.
The Old Rippey cemetery is the resting place for many of Greene County’s earliest settlers and several war veterans, including those who died in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk Indian War, and the Civil War. This project was received $3,000 from the Greene County Community Foundation. Trustees’ chairperson Mary Hick thanked the Community Foundation for funding and Josh Arganbright of Guthrie Center for the fence construction.
