Date: June 22,2000
Cemetery Name: Western Cemetery
Street: Vaughn Street
City: Portland
County: Cumberland
State: Maine
Nation: USA
Zip: 04102
Land Type: Private
Status: Inactive
Number of graves: 1000
Oldest grave: 1829
Records: Yes
Inventory: Yes
Owner: Dana Susa (City of Portland)
Problem's
Broken Headstones
Buried Headstones
Disintegrating Headstones
Fallen Headstones
Removed Headstones
General Neglect
Location
Description
The Western Cemetery is Portland's second oldest cemetery. It is
located beside Portland's western Promenade. It was Portland's primary
burial ground from 1829 untill almost the turn of the century
Other Problems
The Western Cemetery is an unusual case because it is not a simple
case of neglect. The city of Portland has designated the Western
Cemetery not just a park but an "off leash dog Park'. This means
that dog owners are invited and encouraged to bring their dogs into
the cemetery to romp all over and relieve themselves on people's
graves. The situation is so bad that people without dogs are afraid to
go into the cemetery.
Previous Contacts
The city government in Portland Maine has made grave desecration
city policy so there is no place to contact. The state of Maine has
passed a law requiring all towns and cities to decorate veterans
graves with flags on Memorial day. If the Western Cemetery is still
being treated like a dog toilet then Portland will add flag
desecration to its wonderful list of policies truly making it the
desecration capital of the world. When you see the dog-owners who make
up Portland's infamous "Doggy Brigade" entering the Western
Cemetery starting at the crack of dawn to launch their daily assault
on the graves it is so sad.
Current Status
The situation has not changed. The Western Cemetery's graves are
constantly being subjected to the worst disgrace, desecration and
degradation possible. A Western Cemetery planning committee has been
appointed to determine the future of the cemetery but there are many
of the dog owners on it. Dogs are great but they do not belong in cemeteries.
Submitted by / Contact for additional Information:
name: Paul O'Neil
Email: poloneil2@cs.com
