Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Monticello Historic Main Street (MHM) organized the replacement of tattered American flags and the addition of holiday decorations at the entrances to the Old City Cemetery and Roseland Cemetery along Madison Street on Saturday, Dec. 18. Jefferson Somerset's JROTC unit followed military protocols for retiring flags and raising new ones in their place. Then they placed a special wreath provided by MHM in the Old City Cemetery to honor the ancestors buried there who paved the way for the Jefferson County of today. It was noted that, as Monticello was formed in 1827, the city will be celebrating its bicentennial just five years from now, in January of 2027.
MHM Executive Director Don Burdick thanked the JROTC members – Jamal Washington, Matthew Steen, Kaylee Burdick, Brooklynn Kirkpatrick and Sandy Le, along with Capt. Kevin White Sr. and First Sgt. Terry Walker – for showing their
winter holidays to participate in the event.
“I stand here on hallowed ground,” said Burdick from a podium placed at the edge of the Old City Cemetery for the occasion. “Behind me are the founders of Monticello.We have Ms. [Sarah Oliver] Bird, one of our female black leaders of this community. We have veterans from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Viet Nam and our modern conflicts in these
two cemeteries. To my left, down in the back [of Roseland Cemetery], is Sgt. Ernest 'Boots' Thomas, from Monticello, who grew up on Waukeenah Street. The first flag at Iwo Jima was his platoon. The picture you see in all the papers is the second flag raised. The actual man who fought, bled and lost brothers raising the first flag is our pride, our ancestor.”
Burdick then led those gathered in a moment of silence and prayer in remembrance of the veterans and those men, women and children in a supportive role behind those who served. Other wreaths, Christmas trees and bows had been placed by MHM around the cemeteries earlier as well, “to shine love and hope when people visit graves over the holidays.”
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