The Boothbay Region Cemetery District recently completed extensive repairs to the stones and grounds at the Kenniston Cemetery in Boothbay. The stone repairs were done by Thomas A. Stevens Cemetery Memorials in Newcastle.

Kenniston is the oldest of the 11 cemeteries that the district is responsible for. Originally called “The Old Burial Ground” as it was owned and used by the town when the town was first formed, Kenniston had not had repairs done since its inception, according to district records. Some of the people buried at the cemetery fought in the Revolutionary War.

Part of the upgrading included the clearing of brush around the perimeter to expose the stone walls. This work was recommended by and partially funded by the Boothbay Region Garden Club. The Garden Club also paid for a new iron arch sign for the cemetery. The district and Garden Club coordinated the repair and sign work to be done together.

According to John “Jolly” Arsenault, one of the district’s trustees, this puts Kenniston in excellent shape and should be maintenance free for many years.

Similar work is planned for other cemeteries but will be far less extensive and will be done as finances allow.

The Cemetery District trustees meet at 9 a.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at the funeral home in Boothbay. The trustees welcome any input from the citizenry regarding concerns, questions or suggestions. The Boothbay Region Cemetery District was formed in 1939.