Burge Cemetery has entrance signs restored

Burge Cemetery and New London are synonymous with each other. New London was established as a town in 1837 and Burge Cemetery was donated in 1838. Jacob and Rachel Burge donated the land as a memorial to their family. It is fast approaching its 200th birthday and is the final resting place for over 3,300 souls.

As far as anyone knows, its biggest enemy since its inception seems to be the tornado that hit on April 16, 2024. Always able to pick it out from the highway that is a little distance away, one always knew it was Burge because you could always see the many trees … stately old trees. They quickly succumbed to and were the victims of tornadic winds. In its wake, 21 trees were gone. Well over 300 headstones were moved off their moorings.

But Burge was rescued by a stream of volunteers and groups that gave their time, their money, and their effort to return the peaceful tranquil place to what it had been. Trees were planted and tombstones were reset. It was resurrected. The geode stone fences donated in the 1930s by the New London P.E.O. and the Chamber of Commerce suffered no damage and were adorning, as they have for almost 100 years, two of the entrances into the cemetery.

But the tornado also destroyed two other entrance signs. Luckily, it only takes one person to formulate a project and get the ball rolling, and that’s what happened.

Greg Lenz pointed out to Jesse Howard that those signs needed replaced. Greg knows who to talk to … Jesse is not only the President of the Burge Cemetery Association, but also Jesse’s father-in-law. With Howard on board, Greg took the idea and ran with it. He connected with Andy Smith of Smith Manufacturing Solutions of New London and showed him some ideas. The new signs were expertly crafted by Smith Manufacturing who are known for their precision and quality workmanship. Greg ultimately decided to personally donate the cost of the signs to the Burge Association as part of the ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance this historic community landmark.

Installation took place on a recent Saturday morning, with several local volunteers lending their time and effort to help set the signs in place. Among the helpers were community members and friends who share a deep pride in maintaining the cemetery’s beauty and history.

“Burge Cemetery holds generations of families, veterans, and community members who helped shape our town’s story,” said Howard. “These new signs stand as a lasting tribute to those who came before us and a reminder of the pride we have in keeping this place cared for.”

Since April 16, 2024, many new items have been added that include a shed, some road construction to make the newer part of Burge more accessible, and a flagpole at the new Veterans’ Memorial. These new entrance signs will be a welcome addition while we wait for the new trees to get tall and yes, stately.