Macomb, IL – The brick entranceway to Macomb's Oakwood Cemetery will get a new life - and it won't cost the city a single dime. The city was preparing to tear down the entryway along LaFayette Street because it's crumbling and could pose a safety threat. But contractor Jack Laverdiere will donate the time and materials to reconstruct the columns and their sloping wings. Many of the original bricks will be used. He estimates the project will cost around $30,000. The entranceway was built by contractor Wilbur Wetzel around 100 years ago. Wetzel donated his time and materials, and Laverdiere says he was inspired by that example. Laverdiere was also inspired by a recent full-page newspaper opinion piece by local writer and historian John Hallwas. He ripped the city's mayor and aldermen for planning to tear down the impressive entryway to Macomb's historic cemetery.
Big Donation Toward Historic Preservation
