Eagle Scout Candidate Restores Cemetery

Michael Uhl of Boy Scout Troop ­187 led a team of workers to restore deteriorated graves and headstones in Baltimore’s Maple Grove Cemetery as his Eagle Scout Project. Michael visited with the Baltimore Parks & Recreation Board last fall to discuss project ideas. He settled on the cemetery (at the corner on N. Main Street and North Street) as his project in October. Unfortunately, a blast of serious winter weather hit central Ohio just as he was getting underway in November. Luckily, scouts are prepared and diligent!

Working around the weather, Michael and his team focused their attention on the west side of the graveyard, where the oldest graves are located. Many of the old stones were leaning or had already fallen over. Brush and landscaping planted decades ago had also caused damage to some monuments.

Michael and the group cut and removed several overgrown trees and brush patches. Working over several weekends, they also excavated, straightened and repaired 23 damaged headstones and they filled sink holes with topsoil donated by Ace Hardware.

Because work continued into early December, Michael plans to return to the cemetery in the spring once temperatures rise to apply grass seed to bare areas and finalize a few headstone repairs using masonry adhesive.

The Village of Baltimore and the Parks & Recreation Board are grateful to Michael and his team (including his parents Tammy & Joseph, Doug Utz, Lee Utz, Cody Utz, Lexi Utz, and Tom Tweedle). Their dedication and labor have dramatically enhanced a historic corner of Baltimore while honoring the memories of some of the community’s earliest residents. Thank you and congratulations Michael!