The Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek, a place steeped in history and resting grounds to many of the city's notable figures, has been forced to shut down following severe storm damage. According to a News Channel 3 report, the damage from a May storm was so extensive, with over 100 downed trees, making it unsafe for visitors and prompting the cemetery's closure for a projected two and a half months.
In the wake of the storm, tourists intending to visit during the Memorial Day weekend were met with the sight of a "Closed due to weather damage" sign at the gates. The cemetery, known as the final resting place for historical figures such as Sojourner Truth and cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg, is now inaccessible to those wishing to pay their respects, as stated by a post on the cemetery's social media and quoted by WOODTV. Residents like Barbara Angell, whose family plot dates back to 1950, found themselves turned away, a tradition interrupted, never before having seen the cemetery closed on Memorial Day.
The storms that swept through in mid-May, resulting in multiple tornadoes across lower Michigan, left Oak Hill Cemetery heavily damaged. Those who arrived with flowers to honor their departed loved ones had to peer through the gates, as "danger signs" warned of the risks within. Board President Dave Eddy revealed, via MLive, that headstones were damaged, and the cemetery's office roof was hit, though the chapel and other buildings were spared.
Local families, with histories interred among the stately trees and silent stones, were left to adapt their Memorial Day traditions. Steve Racine, who had relatives spanning generations buried at the cemetery, told News Channel 3 how they wanted to show his nephew the unique site. Despite the impediment, they embraced the chance just "to spend a little time together today," he said. The cemetery board informed that they have been consistently working to restore safety, removing debris and hazardous trees almost daily, occasionally having to prioritize other properties, as narrated by Vice President Jim Jackson and President Dave Eddy.
