Area Scout has an eagle eye for preserving local history

To earn his Eagle Scout medal, Zane Anderson of Bolivar has set his sights on cleaning up and improving the Bolivar Cemetery on Pine Street. The 17-year-old son of Eric and Sonya Anderson said he grew concerned about the deteriorating condition of the graveyard and wants to preserve an important part of local history.

“I knew the cemetery was here, but I never really knew much about it,” Anderson said. “I noticed the sign was deteriorating, and it seemed like no one was really doing much of anything, so I thought it would make a good project. I want to keep this piece of Bolivar’s history alive.”

A quick walk around the graveyard shows just how run-down the place has become, possibly due to the fact family members of those buried there may have passed on.

“I was told the last person buried here died in the 1950s,” Anderson said. “Everyone else in here is from the 1800s. We have two War of 1812 veterans, and all the other veterans are from the Civil War.”

Some gravestones have been pushed over or even destroyed by tree roots. Others have been knocked over by vandals. Others are standing, but the names they once bore have since worn away.

Anderson said he has had some difficulty in obtaining a complete record of those buried in the graveyard. “The Tuscarawas County Genealogical Society said the last time any names were updated here was 1980, so that’s more than 40 years ago.”

He also has encountered a bit of confusion over the name and over who exactly is in charge of the upkeep. Referred to at various times as the Pine Street Cemetery and the Lawrence Township Cemetery, Anderson said the most recent name — and the one he believes to be correct — is the Bolivar Cemetery. He also said the village is mowing the property, but he’d like to see greater care given to it.

Improvements planned

After cleaning up the property, Anderson had a cement slab poured where he will place a new sign and benches. “We’re getting a laser-engraved stainless steel sign to replace the old one,” he said. “All the original names that were on the old will go on the new plaque. Some names don’t have a birth date or death date, but we are trying to find records for that.”

Anderson plans to surround the concrete platform with river rock and plant bushes. “I’m thinking about yellow dwarf arborvitae because they don’t have to be trimmed. I’m trying to make this something that will last and won’t require much upkeep,” he said.

Anderson also is replacing all of the flag holders on veterans’ graves. “I want to make sure all of the veterans are recognized,” he said.

Pete James from the American Legion supplied Anderson with a list of the veterans’ names, four of which are unknown.

Community support

Jim Dreher, one of the leaders of Anderson’s Scout troop, said the Bolivar and Lawrence township community has provided a great deal of support for the project.

“Zane has raised the funds needed for the project all on his own,” said Dreher, whose company, Martin L. Dreher, contributed concrete and labor. Other companies credited with donating funds, services or products include Ackerman Landscaping, Bolivar Main Street Association, the Bolivar Army-Navy Garrison 1982, Bolivar Sportsman’s Club, and Rick and Tina Dotts, owners of the Towpath Tavern.

The new sign is being created at a discount by Custom Metal Creations in Orrville. Anderson has estimated the total cost of the project at around $3,000. As of this past Monday, he needs one more $500 donor to cover all the costs.

A rare bird

“Only 3% of the boys who start Scouting actually succeed in earning an Eagle Scout medal,” Dreher said.

Anderson has set a goal to complete the project by the end of October. “You age out of the Eagle Scout program at age 18,” he said. “You can’t get it after that. So I have to have it done before my birthday on Jan. 29.”

Once completed, Anderson will have an Eagle Board Review to determine whether or not he will receive his medal.

“Zane has really done a good job managing this project,” Dreher said. “He and his dad, who is the Scoutmaster, came to be in Troop 86 in Dover because there was no longer a troop in Bolivar. We have boys from all over the county in our troop.”

For those interested in joining, Troop 86 meets every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 409 N. Wooster Ave., Dover.