Hello, my name is Marilyn.

I want to start by saying thank you for taking the time to show interest and support for a project that is near and dear to me. I started this journey by researching my family history. During that search, I discovered that I had an ancestral relative buried in Saint Louis, MO, only 30 minutes from my house. Intrigued, I decided to visit Washington Park Cemetery to honor his gravesite. Imagine my surprise when I realized no office or contact information was available to track their gravesites. Determined, my mother and I decided to walk around and try to find the gravesites ourselves. We were shocked, hurt, angry, and disappointed by the state of our loved ones' final resting place.

Before giving up our search, I heard someone cutting grass in the distance. Desperate for answers, I flagged down the person on the mower. I'm so grateful that I did. The man on the mower happened to be Mr. Henry. I told him my situation and asked if he knew anyone to help me find where my late great-great-uncle, Samuel Johnson, was. He was happy to help. He gave me the number to Mr. Newman, who was known to keep a copy of the records. As we continued to talk, I learned that Mr. Henry is a Vietnam War veteran who volunteers to mow the historic cemetery because he also has an uncle there. He was unhappy with the condition of the graveyard upon his discovery, and he jumped in to start doing the work. He uses his equipment and only gets compensated for the gas he uses. He often damages his mower blades because of the neglected condition of the cemetery. When this happens, he uses his money to repair it and returns it to service. Mr. Henry is a true American Hero. He's been volunteering his services at WPC for the past 5 years.

A few days later, I contacted Mr. Newman about my uncle's burial site. He was happy to help as well. It wasn't long before he sent me information on finding my uncle's location. I was pleased to learn we saw him, but sad to realize his stone was missing. By this time, I had discovered that I had a few more relatives who were buried at WPC. I decided to ask Mr. Newman about my great-grandmother and great-uncle. He pulled a big red bag with a few thick white binders inside from his car. He found their names listed. I started to become excited, but it was short-lived because he said they had been exhumed, and he couldn't tell me exactly where they are located. I thanked Mr. Newman for his time and dedication to assisting people like me who were looking to connect with our deceased under unorthodox circumstances. Mr. Newman has been serving the community by volunteering his time and efforts to WPC for the past 15 years.

Washington Park Cemetery is about 42 acres of land. Buried in this land are formerly enslaved people, including Mrs. Harriet Robinson and her husband, Dred Scott, who petitioned for our freedoms. WPC also has over 120 African American veterans. In addition to the veterans, WPC is also the final resting place for many black settlers, including railroad workers, doctors, politicians, business owners, nurses, teachers, and more who migrated to this area to create a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities. They paid for a respectable and well-maintained resting place, but unfortunately, that is not the case. With the community's help, we can restore the integrity of this sacred piece of American history.

Although I appreciate Mr. Henry's and Mr. Newman's time and efforts, they can't do this work alone. It's too much for them to keep up on their own. I'm asking with gratitude and humility that you donate your dollars, time, and/or resources to help restore the dignity of Washington Park Cemetery.

An interview with Mr. Henry and Mr. Newman will be available on July 22nd, 2025

THIS IS A BIG PROJECT, SO I HAVE SECTIONED THE EFFORTS INTO 3 STAGES. THIS IS STAGE ONE.

*Clean up trash & debris

* Clear and restore the landscaping of WPC

*Restore or replace missing Tombstones

I WILL BE SCHEDULING A PRIVATE ZOOM MEETING FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEXT TWO STAGES.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING YOUR TIME OR PHYSICAL RESOURCES. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT restorewpcstl@gmail.com

Thank you for your time.

PLEASE CLICK BELOW TO LEARN WHAT LED TO THE GRAVES AT WPC BEING DISTURBED AND NEGLECTED FOR THE PAST 29 YEARS!

Washington Park Cemetery North

https://youtu.be/1cXsR73lgyU?si=f0zfpASXt-iuBMtn

All throughout the deeply wooded areas are neglected tombs. Many of the areas you cannot walk through.

These men served our country...they deserve better.

Prominent Historic Leaders ' legacies are buried here... click the link to learn about Mr. William Herbert Fields

https://share.google/RjhLpkzWr4aDLsWYo

My late uncle Sam's grave has a missing tombstone. He migrated to Saint Louis from Newport, Arkansas, in the 1920s. He retired from the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1967. He was the first in my family to settle in the area. After stabilizing himself, he created opportunities for other relatives to migrate to Saint Louis, MO. My grandmother, Helen, was one of the people whom he assisted in migrating to Saint Louis from Arkansas. She was his favorite niece, working as a sharecropper back in Newport. After settling into the area, she married and had nine children. She went on to work and retired from UMSL. My grandmother lived until she was 93 years old. Her last days were filled with love and joy, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Uncle Sam gave my grandmother the gift of freedom and independence that she instilled into us. Thank you, Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam passed away in the winter of 1982. He was buried at WPC. I'm sure this is not the state that he imagined his gravesite to be when planning his life insurance arrangements.

Washington Park Cemetery Restoration Project: Part 1

Help Local Heros save Abandoned Historic Cemetary

Team Members