Another local cemetery is getting some much-needed attention courtesy of the efforts of Center Township Trustee Amy Knapp. She has hired a specialized restoration company to fix the headstones in some of the township’s historic cemeteries.
On Thursday, workers with Mahan Construction and Restoration were busy lifting, scrubbing, and repairing headstones in the Pisgah Cemetery, located south of Plymouth on Muckshaw Road. It was established in 1836 and is one of 47 cemeteries in Marshall County listed in Indiana’s historic cemetery registry.
“Some people go by and honk the horn,” said Doyle Mahan. He owns the restoration business and lives in Noblesville. “I had one guy stop out here and give me a thumbs up,” he stated with a grin on his face.
Mahan has been crisscrossing the state over the last five years fixing up cemeteries just like the one on Muckshaw. He has worked everywhere from Cedar Lake to Evansville, having just completed a project in the Fort Wayne area a couple of weeks ago.
“We will do probably 10 to 12 cemeteries this year,” Mahan said. The Pisgah Cemetery is the sixth one on his list. He said that he will spend about four weeks in the Plymouth area, staying at a local hotel until the work is done.
Mahan is no stranger to Marshall County and has been working with township trustees over the last several years to restore several local cemeteries. He has done work in the Taber, Jacoby, and Fairmount Cemeteries.
“You really should take a look at the cemetery out by the hospital,” he said. Mahan was referring to the Lake/Stringer Cemetery located just southwest of the hospital on State Road 17 in Plymouth. “We just finished up another 144 stones there,” he continued.
“We will do probably 10 to 12 cemeteries this year,” Mahan said. The Pisgah Cemetery is the sixth one on his list. He said that he will spend about four weeks in the Plymouth area, staying at a local hotel until the work is done.
Mahan is no stranger to Marshall County and has been working with township trustees over the last several years to restore several local cemeteries. He has done work in the Taber, Jacoby, and Fairmount Cemeteries.
“You really should take a look at the cemetery out by the hospital,” he said. Mahan was referring to the Lake/Stringer Cemetery located just southwest of the hospital on State Road 17 in Plymouth. “We just finished up another 144 stones there,” he continued.
In most cases, the stones have accumulated more than a century of filth and are covered in a thick layer of lichen. To clean the stones, he uses a light mixture of ammonia and water to strip away the grime, revealing the chiseled words that have been hidden for years. He then applies an antimicrobial agent that extends the cleaning process for another six to eight months.
Mahan also fixes the problems he finds from previous repair attempts. “Concrete is one of the worst enemies of these stones,” he said. “Concrete is hard, and these stones are brittle.” His team removes any old concrete repairs they find and fixes it with two-part epoxy. It holds the stone pieces firmly together, creating a lasting bond. “You cannot break the epoxy,” Mahan explained.
According to Mahan, the Pisgah Cemetery has approximately 124 gravesites. He explained that his team can fix 35 to 40 headstones a day, so they should be working at the Muckshaw location for a couple more days. Please exercise caution when driving by, as his team is forced to park alongside the road.
