Our “Silent Cities” and the stories they hold
~by Chuck Offenburger, Greene County Historical Society
The stories you can learn in cemeteries in Greene County and elsewhere will be the subject of the Historical Society’s program on Friday, Nov. 7, at the United Methodist Church in Scranton.
Karen Pound, formerly of Scranton and now living in Jefferson, will be presenting “Silent Cities” about her study of the cemeteries over the years.
“I’ve been fascinated by cemeteries since I was little, growing up in Monona County,” said Pound. “We’d always go to the cemeteries and put flowers on family graves. Later, when we were living in Scranton, I started noticing all the different stones in the cemeteries in Greene County, and the different markings that are used on them. I learned those different symbols are used to help tell the stories of the people’s lives.”
She found out there are 29 cemeteries in the county here, 19 of them are active today and 10 are inactive.
“So 15 or 20 years ago, my husband Dick and I started going out and visiting the cemeteries, and taking photos of interesting and unique stones,” she said. “It is very, very interesting all that you can learn out there.”
Pound, a billing clerk for the city of Jefferson, had her photos made into slides, and did a number of programs about the cemeteries for clubs around the area.
“After I’d done a bunch of those programs, 15 or so years ago, I put all the material away and forgot about it,” Pound said. “But recently, Ces Brunow (Historical Cociety president) got wind that I’d once done those programs, and asked if I’d get the material back out and present it again.”
For the new program, she had her grandson Britton Gallagher, a freshman at Greene County High School, convert the slides to digital photos so they could be turned into a PowerPoint presentation.
The gathering will begin with lunch, featuring ham balls, at noon at the Scranton church. Cost of the lunch is $8, and reservations must be made with the Society’s community contacts by Wednesday, Nov. 5.
After lunch and before the program, executive director Roger Aegerter will present another historical trivia quiz, with the subject of his questions this time being “lost and found.”
Pound’s program will be presented at 1 pm in the church sanctuary, and is free and open to the public.
A brief business meeting will also be held, with a nominations committee announcing a slate of candidates for the society’s 2015 officer positions and available seats on the board of directors. The election of the officers and board members will be held at the December meeting.
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