File:Berlin Cemetery, August 21, 2020.jpg

Summary

New Monuments in Old Berlin Cemetery

The preservation of Old Berlin Cemetery in Brunswick is restoring dignity and pride to this once neglected burial ground. Two new monuments were recently installed. At the corner of B Street and Delaware Avenue,a granite stone now identifies the siteas “Old Berlin Cemetery.” Another monument further in gives a brief history as “the earliest known cemetery in the city of Brunswick.” Three granite benches were also installed. The monuments and benches were crafted by R. S. Kinnaird Memorials in Thurmont, Maryland, and were funded by a grant from the Maryland Heritage Area Authority Capital program and the City of Brunswick. The grant is also funding additional tombstone repairs, landscaping, and development of a website that will provide historical details and welcome others to contribute stories of those who are buried here. Preservation of the Cemetery has been an ongoing process for several years. A professional conservator of cemetery stones has been working with the City to upright and repair leaning, fallen and broken tombstones. He has reconnected stones of family members buried together. Additional headstones and footstones were discovered by probing the Cemetery grounds. A special area is being created to recognize“orphan stones”which are markers that had been moved long agoandthe original burial locations are unknown. Work is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Captions:

Photo of “OLD BERLIN CEMETERY” sign: Members of the Old Berlin Cemetery Restoration Committee: Karin Birch, Wayne Allgaier, Diane Ellis

Photo by Jerry Knight