From the February 9, 1993 edition of The Wayne Herald
Historic preservation for Wayne's pioneer cemetery
An effort is underway to preserve and restore what some in Wayne County see as a historic treasure.
It is sad to see what has become of the pioneer cemetery over the years says history buff and volunteer, Steve Gross of Wayne, who wants to see the pioneer cemetery placed on the national register of historic places.
Dating back to the 1870s, the cemetery is located near where the first settlement was established in Wayne county at LaPorte.
The town was the site of the original county seat.
Everything was relocated to Wayne, when the railroad was located there instead of at LaPorte.
Over the years, the cemetery had been allowed to deteriorate, become overgrown with brush, trees and weeds. Deadfall from the trees damaged several of the headstones.
But a move is underway to reclaim the cemetery.
"These are the people that brought, made and used the things that are sitting on museum shelves today," Gross said. He said he has always had an interest in cemeteries and the history of people in them.
With the help of other volunteers interested in preserving the history of the area, Gross plans to replot the cemetery and attempt to identify all the graves.
County road crews helped the process last week by removing many of the old diseased trees and underbrush from the two-acre cemetery.
