Word has been received of another cemetery that has been
desecrated by an owner who has no interest in it or any connection
to the people buried there. It is difficult to understand how anyone
could even give thought to touching the resting place of another
person. This is happening to cemeteries in many places and the
only way we can help to prevent this is to contact town, city, or
county officials and get laws passed that will prevent anyone from
removing or even building within 100 feet of a cemetery. Municipalities
need to create laws that make them a historical site and give all the
protection possible, including from vandalism.

Lorraine Westcott, former historian for the Town of Wilton (Saratoga
Co., NY), pursued this with her town and the following is the full
content of  that law. Contact local officials or write letters to editors

to get a community involved in preserving history and use this as
an example to model laws to protect your area cemeteries. That
way, local officials cannot set this aside and forget it. Substitute
the names of your local cemeteries for those listed below in Wilton
when requesting a law to protect them.

                                   WILTON CODE
# 129-64.1 Encroachment on cemeteries [Added 5-17-1990]

A.  Out of respect for them as final resting places and in order to
      preserve their integrity as significant historic sites, the intent
      of this section is to protect Wilton's cemeteries from encroaching
      commercial and residential development. The nearest structure
      in any commercial or residential lot or subdivision will not be
less
      than one hundred (100) feet from the lot line of any cemetery
      listed below:

(1)   Dimmick Cemetery: southeast of the intersection of Dimmick and
        Gansevoort Roads, north of Snook Kill Creek

(2)  Brisbin Cemetery: east side of Parkhurst Road, south of the
       Little Snook Kill.

(3)  Gurn Springs Cemetery: north side of Ballard Road, east of
        Gordon Lane (also known as the "New Gurn Springs Cemetery").


(4)  Kings Station Cemetery: east side of Parkhurst Road, north of
       intersection with Kings Road.

(5)  Gurn Springs Cemetery: south side of Ballard Road, east of the
        intersection of Traver and Ballard Roads, (also known as the
        "Old Gurn Springs Cemetery").

(6)  Perry Cemetery: south side of Ballard Road, east of the Old Gurn
       Springs Cemetery.

(7)  Wilton Developmental Center Cemetery: east side of Northern
        Pines Road, north of the Snook Kill Creek.

(8)  Brick Church Cemetery: west side of Northern Pines Road, south
       of the intersection of Northern Pines Road and Gailor Road.

(9)  Arnold Cemetery: southwest side of the intersection of Strakos
        Greenfield Roads.

(10) Brill Cemetery: east of Route 9, north of Waller Road (located,
        back off road).

(11) Sleight Cemetery: west side of Route 9, north of Daniels Road,
        south of the intersection of Northern Pines Road and Route 9,
        back toward the Wilton - Greenfield Town Line.

(12) South Wilton M. E. Church Cemetery: east side of Route 50,
        south of the intersection of Route 50 and Edie Road.

(13) Louden Cemetery:  North side of Louden Road, east of the
        intersection of Louden and Ingersoll Roads.

(14) Ruggles Cemetery: east side of Ruggles Road, south of
        intersection of King and Ruggles Road.

(15) Jaycox Cemetery:  north side of Louden Road, east of the
intersection of Ruggles and Louden  Roads.

(16) Baker/Boise Cemetery: south side of Louden Road, west of
        the intersection of Arnolds Lane and Louden Road.

(17) Milligan Cemetery: south of the intersection of Louden Road
        and Arnolds Lane on east side.

B.    More exact locations can be found on a map prepared by
        Lorraine Westcott, Town Historian, for Clough, Harbour and
        Associates filed in the Planning Board Office.

C. The Planning Board, in its sole discretion, may require a
      residential or commercial developer to erect fencing and/or
      install plantings to act as a physical and/or visual barrier
      between a cemetery and developable sites which are adjacent
      or contiguous to a cemetery.

D. The provisions of this section may also be applied by the
      Planning Board to protect other cemeteries or other sites which,
      in their opinion, are of historic significance or are included in
      the Town of Wilton Master Plan for historic sites.