The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is honored to announce a series of significant improvements to historic Oakland Cemetery in Princeton made possible by a generous donation from the Oakland Cemetery Preservation Fund established by Princeton’s Gary C. Johnson.
A significant benefactor to the Princeton community, Johnson, along with several contributors to the fund, have provided major improvements to the cemetery and more are planned.
Improvements in recent years include restoration of several headstones, new signage, a manlift for tree removal, and landscape enhancements. Fifty tree stumps have been removed, and a variety of flowering trees will be planted in spring.
“Thanks to philanthropic gifts, the cemetery has and will continue to undergo a thoughtful transformation that honors its legacy while enhancing its future,” said Starved Rock Country Community Foundation co-founder Pamela Beckett, who, with Johnson, created SRCCF’s donor designated Oakland Cemetery Preservation Fund.
Erik Ellberg, Cemetery and Streets Foreman for the City of Princeton, said, “stump removal alone was extremely beneficial to improve the appearance of the grounds, and in addition, donations from the fund improved the safety of the overall cemetery due to the elimination of falling limbs and trees. Hopefully, contributions will continue to be made to the fund, and more improvements can move forward.”
Beckett said, “Contributions to the fund are a testament to the deep love the Princeton community holds for Oakland Cemetery. We are grateful for our partnership with Gary Johnson in creating the fund to ensure its beauty and history for generations to come.”
The cemetery was founded in 1836, just five years after Princeton itself was established. Owned by Rev. Lucien Farham, it was a burial site for the Hampshire Colony Congregational Church.
The City of Princeton leased the ground at 1013 Park Avenue West in 1862 and expanded it by purchasing adjacent property. The combined grounds were named Oakland Cemetery, inspired by the oak trees on site.
Designed as a garden cemetery by landscape architect L.L. Herron and surveyor Romanus Hodgman, it featured carriage paths, a public picnic area and a gothic revival office building.
The cemetery is known for its artistic monuments including white bronze obelisks; angel statues; stone tree trunks and art deco box tombs. The most prominent monument belongs to Nehemiah Matson, a pioneer and historian. His 34-foot granite memorial weighs 44 tons and cost $4,600 in 1884.
In 2021, Oakland Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Oakland Cemetery Historic District. Today, it spans nearly 80 acres and contains over 15,000 burials, making it one of the most significant cemeteries in Bureau County.
For information about Oakland Cemetery, contact the Princeton Cemetery Department at (815) 875-2631 or email cemetery@princeton-il.com.
Click here to learn more about the Oakland Cemetary Preservation fund
