A ‘sign’ of renewal at the cemetery
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It was nearly two years in the making but the “vision” to replace the signposts inside the Grove Street Cemetery is nearly finished.
Some members of the Putnam Cemetery Association, which includes the Grove Street Cemetery, the Putnam Heights Cemetery and the cemetery on River Road, had the vision to do something about the nearly 100-year-old signposts in the Grove Street Cemetery.
Jim Shaw, superintendent, said it took nearly two years of research and fund-raising, to replace the 25 sign posts and signs. They help visitors find their way.
“Greg King was one of the members who had the vision to update the signposts,” Shaw said. Valentine Imamartino, association vice president, “ran with the idea,” he added.
Imamartino said the years had not been kind to the signposts that had probably been there, in Shaw’s estimation, since the 1930s. Many were missing; others were deteriorated, rotted, rusted out. “I wanted it to be done right — so that these signposts go another 100 years,” she said.
She found an architectural sign business with its own foundry in Pennsylvania for the new signs. The old signs were “somewhat black” with white lettering on them. The new ones are cast aluminum, powder coated with dark green with white lettering.
Shaw said by the time the signs arrived last year, it was too late to install them, weather-wise.
She said King and Shaw were a huge help in getting the layout squared away. Some of the roads in the cemetery were changed or added, and there were questions on where the crossroads were. King and Shaw worked out where the signposts would go.
Andy Tetreault Lawn Service of Sterling has done a good bit of excavation and stone work at the cemetery. He pulled out all the old signposts and cemented the new posts into the ground. Jesse Peterson, groundskeeper, installed the tops, making sure they were straight, straight, straight. Some of the signs are doubles and some are singles. He said, weather permitting, it shouldn’t take long to finish the installation.
The total cost of the project, including installation is about $15,000, Imamartino said.
Because perpetual care fees scarcely cover maintenance, Imamartino said the association is looking for sponsors for the signs. She said several board members and community members have already sponsored a sign but more sponsors are needed.
If you are interested in sponsoring one of the signposts for $300, call or text Imamartino at: 860-428-1290. In addition, the association is selling the classic old signposts.
She said she hopes this is the start of more updates at the cemetery. Other markers and perhaps a large sign at the corner of Grove Street and Killingly Avenue are possibilities.
caption, page 1: At Work
Jesse Peterson attaches the sign on top of the signpost at the Grove Street Cemetery. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 4: New Sign Posts
Clockwise from top left. An overview of Grove Street Cemetery with one of the new signposts installed. The old signs are available for purchase. Call or text Valentine Imamartino at 860-428-1290. Andy Tetreault of Tetreault Landscaping and helper Jason McLevy installing the sign posts. All page 4 photos courtesy of Valentine Imamartino.