[Source: Amanda Baillie, Sierra Vista Herald/Review] -- The campaign to save and preserve the historical Fry Cemetery has officially been launched. A citizens’ committee set up to take on the task met for the first time Wednesday. The group is made up of local residents concerned about the future of the city landmark, part of which was put up for sale in 1999 by its owner, a member of the Fry family, who were the area’s original settlers in the early 1900s.
The owner, who lives in California, wants to sell a strip of land between Sixth Street and Seventh Street for $69,900, but has stipulated that the Fry family still be allowed to be buried there. The Fry Cemetery Preservation Committee believes the location should become a state historical site because it is home to around 200 graves of past residents of Sierra Vista and surrounding areas, possibly dating back to the 1800s. It is the committee’s hope that the money to buy the cemetery can be raised through local events and donations and that the burial site can be maintained and become part of a planned self-guided walk in the historical part of the city.
“This is no short term deal,” committee chair Tom Shupert said. “It will take time and commitment and we need to look at what we want to accomplish in the next six months to a year. We need to start by becoming known and letting people know what we are doing.” [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
