Today we’d like to introduce you to Russ Firestone.
Russ, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Russ Firestone and I currently serve as the President of the Homestead Cemetery. Our group of volunteers are working tirelessly to preserve the dignity of the Homestead Cemetery, as well as share the stories of those who rest within the hallowed grounds.
The Homestead Cemetery was first incorporated in 1886 to serve the burgeoning community growing in the Monongahela Valley. It has not faltered in its duty of honor and remembrance to the community as it has witnessed dramatic change over the last century and beyond. The members of our community who rest peacefully within its grounds have shaped the neighboring boroughs in events from the Civil War, the 1892 Homestead Steel Strike, the Great Depression, and the Second World War. The cemetery has also witnessed the dramatic demographic changes of the country over the past hundred years, and, as such, men and women who fought for racial and social justice from the Negro League in baseball to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s are remembered as integral parts of our region.
Only recently has the Homestead Cemetery run upon rougher times. In 2015 the Cemetery fell into bankruptcy and was left as an abandoned property. Several grass roots effort attempted to maintain the cemetery but as time went by these efforts continued to dwindle and the cemetery became an eyesore. In 2020 we create the new Homestead Cemetery Company with to return the cemetery to its former status as a community treasure.
The goal of the new Homestead Cemetery Company is not to have the cemetery simply function, but to thrive as a testament and memorial to the great men and women of the Steel Valley area who shaped who we are today. No other community in Western Pennsylvania cares so much about its history and roots, which is why this has become a greater community project.
The mission of the Homestead Cemetery Company is to manage (through fundraising and other grant opportunities) the Cemetery and restore it to a status of self-sustainment into perpetuity. We hope that with the community’s help, the cemetery grounds will be maintained, beautification and repair projects will be completed, and the cemetery will exist as a proud symbol of this area for ourselves and our descendants.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since our formation as a non-profit entity we have faced numerous challenges in our efforts to restore the Homestead Cemetery to its former glory. First and foremost was trying to find funding to begin our mission. We needed to purchase equipment, address the neglect, restore utilities and find a way to repurpose the abandoned caretaker’s residence. We first began with a grassroots fundraising campaign. People began making small donations and we were able to secure a couple of foundations to support our vision.
We purchase equipment and sought out community volunteers to assist in the general upkeeping of the grounds. We sought to restore our historic solider circle area. We replaced the deteriorated head stones, addressed the monument area and ultimately rededicated the circle area.
The biggest challenge that we faced was restoring the community’s faith and trust that the cemetery would exist into the future. We have embarked on many community outreach programs. We did presentations to many local groups to share the story and the history of the cemetery as well as outline our plans for the future. We conducted 3 successful History Day Celebrations which engaged the community with walking tours that highlighted local history, the Homestead Steel Strike, the Negro League baseball players and military accomplishments of men and women who are interned in our cemetery.
Finally, we began the reimagination of the former caretaker’s residence. We first began by completely gutting the dilapidated interior. We had to address mold issue and mechanical issues. Next, we remodeled the former sales office to create a meeting area to conduct future business. We had to replace the furnace and air conditioning units and address electrical issues. We converted the upstairs into office space and a bathroom and laundry area. This was a critical step so that we could retrieve our burial records that were being housed at the Carnegie Library of Homestead. We converted the main floor into a chapel to hold indoor services during inclement weather. We installed a handicap access to the chapel to ensure that all could attend services. The final step that we to complete is the remodeling of the hallway and the instillation of a handicap bathroom.
The reimagination of the caretaker’s house would not have been possible without the partnerships that were formed with our local trade unions. We were fortunate to partner with the Carpenters Union, the Painters and Tapper Union and the Bricklayers Union. All of these groups volunteered their time and skill to assist in the completion of this project. We also had many of our Board Members who provide technical skill in this remodel.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In the past 5 years we have accomplished much:
1. We have developed a clear work schedule for the upkeep and maintenance of the grounds.
2. We have restored all utilities.
3. We have reimagined the caretakers house that allows us to conduct business, house our records and provide a chapel space to hold services.
4. We have replaced dilapidated Veterans headstones throughout the cemetery.
5. We have obtained Veterans Headstones for soldiers who were in previously unmarked grave.
6. We have developed a model for community outreach.
7. We have held annual events that highlight the history of the Steel Valley Area.
8. We have created a new section to conduct future burials.
9. We have created a cremation section to service the community.
10. We have participated in Wreaths Across America to honor the service of the over 800 Veterans who are buried in the Homestead Cemetery.
11. We have begun the process of digitizing our records.
12. We have developed partnerships with various trade unions and local community groups to assist in the continuation of the operation of the Homestead Cemetery.
13. We have hosted numerous tours.
14. We have hosted the Local High School to assist in detailing the local history of our area.
15. We have upgraded all of our operational equipment to care for the grounds.
Any big plans?
In the immediate future we will complete the Caretaker’s remodel. We will continue the repairs to the cemetery grounds. We have acquired additional property that we begin to develop into additional burial spaces. We will work tirelessly to find additional funding sources to ensure that. We will continues thrive in the future as well as provide our community with and affordable place to insure their loved ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thehomesteadcemetery.com
