Hobo's Cemetery Improvement Tidying & Overhaul #5 Cache In Trash Out® Event

Rhode Island House Resolution H7350 declared April 16, 2016 to be "Historic Cemetery Restoration/Awareness Day."

To honor this observance, you are invited to participate in maintaining Rhode Island's historic cemeteries, one at a time. Please join us for Hobo's Cemetery Improvement, Tidying, and Overhaul (CITO) event, one of three cleanups on this weekend where we will work towards restoring the condition of these time-worn sites.

Cemetery Data

• Number of burials - 48 (39 engraved, 9 fieldstones)
  
• Oldest burial - 1769
  
• Most recent burial - 1959
  
• Dimensions - 50' x 100', walled with iron gate

“northeast of Barton’s corner, in open lot poorly protected”

James Arnold (2 May 1892)

Several Revolutionary War soldiers were brought from Providence to be buried in fieldstone marked graves near Division Road, west of Route #2. In later years the wall from this cemetery was sold to Mr. Barton who used the stones to build the wall for the Barton Cemetery. This story, related by Violet Kettelle, explains why Arnold did not see the wall that is there now.

Please be sure to have the necessary items on hand. This may include but is not limited to the following:

Work gloves
Pruning shears
Yard debris bags
Hand saw
Camera

Garden Rake
Leaf Rake
Shovel
Water bottle
Pickup truck

On-site/Arrival Instructions

• This is the fourth visit to this cemetery by our group and the progress made here is unbelievable. A majority of the work will include cleanup of the grounds surrounding the cemetery, resetting and repair of damaged stones (weather-dependent), and a repainting of the gate (also weather-dependent).
  
• Parking is in the lot across the street from the cemetery.
  
• Please be careful while working in the cemetery. Safety is top priority, both of the volunteers and of the stones.
  
• There may be some residual poison ivy present, although the majority of it is long gone. Long pants/sleeves, Tyvek suits, and other precautions may be worthwhile, but are not required.