A project to make improvements and repairs to the Old Town Cemetery, located at the corner of South Brown and Water Streets, began April 12.

“The Old Town Cemetery was the original, first official cemetery in Mifflin County, laid out in the 1790 plan of lots when Lewistown was established as the county seat,” Mifflin County Historical Society President, Forest K. Fisher, said. “With the current walls pushing 175 years old, many sections are crumbling, exposing a deteriorated interior. Sections at Water Street and the alley are precarious.”

Cemetery improvements and restoration projects took place in 1852 and 1921. The iron fence, gateway and bronze tablets (along S. Brown St.) were erected in 1934 when the cemetery was dedicated.

“The Brown Street-side cemetery wall built in the mid-1930s, with wrought-iron fencing and gate, was built and dedicated to

Photos by Jenny Barron Landis
Photos of the Old Town Cemetery in Lewistown taken in 2023 show the deterioration of the cemetery wall along with crooked and broken headstones.

George R. Frysinger, founder of the Mifflin County Historical Society, and to Dorcas Buchanan, first European woman settler to settle in what became Mifflin County. That portion of the wall is slated to be power-washed, with a hoped-for fresh coat of paint on the iron fence,” Fisher said.

The project cost is just over $180,000 and includes restoration of the Water Street 1852 stone wall and the stone wall along the alley across from the First National Bank drive-through.

“This is an historic wall restoration utilizing the original face and cap stones from over 170 years ago,” Fisher said. “The crumbling interior, now loose dirt and rubble, will be replaced with a reinforced concrete core. This core will be refaced on the original stone and topped with original cap stones, many unique fossil-laden rocks gathered locally. The outside facing Water Street will be smooth poured concrete that will accept an expressive mural, illustrating a panorama of local history, not only reflecting historical figures and everyday residents interred within, but milestone happenings in Lewistown and Mifflin County.”The renovation project will be completed in stages. Several ideas are still being discussed.

“The masonry portion of the walls along Water Street and the alley will likely be finished by summer,” Fisher said. “The Water Street mural will likely extend into next year. That timeline is in the planning stages. In fact, an extended project for a mural on the alley side is also under consideration, perhaps as a tribute to those involved in historic preservation in the community.”

The completed project will refurbish the cemetery as well as preserve the early history of Lewistown.

“As the first community cemetery, the land upon which it is laid out reflects the only undeveloped tract of land in Lewistown. Standing on the cemetery’s topography today harkens back to the time of Dorcas Buchanan when Lewistown and Mifflin County was merely a dream,” Fisher said. “Looking around inside the Old Town Cemetery when the wall project is finished, the site will look much as it did in the 1850s, with stately straight stone walls respecting the final resting places of early citizens. The June 25, 1852, Lewistown Gazette article describes the building of the walls, noting capstones, a unique feature, as part of the improvements completed at that time. It is a cobblestone-filled wall faced with similar locally acquired stone, with capstones laid perpendicular to Water Street and the wall at the back by the alley.”

Area businesses involved in the project include Sunrise Masonry of Belleville, Solid State Masonry of Lewistown and Smitty’s Pressure Washing of Lewistown. Volunteers offering site evaluation and support include Ed Arnold, project manager for the historical society and Dee Miller, assistant project manager.

“When the officers and the board of directors of the Mifflin County Historical Society heard about the deteriorating wall and the proposed restoration project, a unanimous vote to participate quickly followed,” Fisher said. “The guiding spirit of George R. Frysinger, the society’s founder, is inspirational in our quest to preserve history.”

“The highlight of the project, not only the restoration, will be the planned mural on the Water Street side,” he added. “The mural will allow for an expansive 112-foot-long mural, illustrating the timeline of local history from the Shawnee Village of Ohesson, pioneer life of Dorcas Buchanan, Pennsylvania Canal days along Water Street, and so much more, to the U.S. 250th anniversary in 2026. The project will be a highlight of the community’s recognition of two-and- one-half centuries of history and heritage.”

“If you wish to contribute to the wall and mural projects, gifts are gratefully accepted by the Mifflin County Historical Society,” Fisher said. “Be a part of this unique project, every contribution counts. Remember, history is our story. It’s your story, too.”