By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Goodrich — At noon, Aug. 4, the Goodrich Cemetery 10165 Cemetery St., will host the dedication of the entrance arch.
Through a variety of fundraisers and donations, the Goodrich Historic Goodrich Cemetery Association directed the construction of an arch 18 feet high and 14 feet wide at the entrance of the cemetery. The project was completed last fall and the community is invited to attend the event. Refreshments will be available and lawn chairs are suggested.
“Fundraising for the project began several years ago but Covid slowed the process,” said Shirley Kautman-Jones, secretary of the Goodrich Cemetery Board.
“A hundred years ago there were pillars that marked the entrance, we hope to keep the same historical aesthetics. Other enhancements are also planned for the cemetery.”
Matt Brehl of Atlas Township based MJB Designs fabricated the laser cut arch anchored on concrete pillars-five feet deep. The arch was powder-coated by Brandon Township-based GT Performance Coatings.
“The arch was created to last for years to come,” said Kautman-Jones.
On May 26, 1850, Nathaniel Fairchild, 54, became the first person buried in the Goodrich Cemetery. The cause of death was lockjaw and blood poisoning caused by a horseshoe nail in his hand.
Over the next 170 years, hundreds of other community members like Fairchild were interred in the village burial ground, including Cummings, Hegel, McCandlish and Goodrich. Their names are now synonymous with the area.
From honoring veterans to preserving community history to perpetually caring for loved ones, the cemetery, located in the village near Reid Elementary and Seneca Street, is an icon that continues to remember the past while establishing a future location for generations to come.