Living it up with the DEAD!
Sounds gruesome but let me assure you, life at Prospect Hill is anything but dead. In fact, except for the DEAD of winter, people are buzzing around our historic place all the time.
There are the wonderful volunteers who help clean up what nature provides us in the way of debris and downed branches. They are volunteers from all areas of the city and from many civic organizations. They volunteer during our “Clean-up Days” which take place almost every weekend in the Spring and Summer. We love our volunteers so much that we have named them The Weed Workers of Prospect Hill Cemetery. We even throw them a picnic at the end of weed-whacking season!
There are the green thumbs, who love to dig around in the dirt. They plant flowers and eradicate volunteer plants on the property under the direction of our arborist. We appreciate those dirt lovers.
Then we have the Looky Loos. They love to walk or drive through the cemetery to read the names of all the famous Omaha founders on the gravestones. We love them because they always tell their friends about what they have seen and that means we have more fans throughout the city.
We appreciate all our helpers and admirers, but we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our donors. Please go to our website at www.prospecthill-omaha.org and click on the Donate button today. Become a donor and then come give us a hand.
Watch this column in every newsletter. I will try to bring you insights and events about Omaha’s oldest burial ground Prospect Hill Cemetery.
Thank you for your support.
Sounds gruesome but let me assure you, life at Prospect Hill is anything but dead. In fact, except for the DEAD of winter, people are buzzing around our historic place all the time.
There are the wonderful volunteers who help clean up what nature provides us in the way of debris and downed branches. They are volunteers from all areas of the city and from many civic organizations. They volunteer during our “Clean-up Days” which take place almost every weekend in the Spring and Summer. We love our volunteers so much that we have named them The Weed Workers of Prospect Hill Cemetery. We even throw them a picnic at the end of weed-whacking season!
There are the green thumbs, who love to dig around in the dirt. They plant flowers and eradicate volunteer plants on the property under the direction of our arborist. We appreciate those dirt lovers.
Then we have the Looky Loos. They love to walk or drive through the cemetery to read the names of all the famous Omaha founders on the gravestones. We love them because they always tell their friends about what they have seen and that means we have more fans throughout the city.
We appreciate all our helpers and admirers, but we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our donors. Please go to our website at www.prospecthill-omaha.org and click on the Donate button today. Become a donor and then come give us a hand.
Watch this column in every newsletter. I will try to bring you insights and events about Omaha’s oldest burial ground Prospect Hill Cemetery.
Thank you for your support.
Well, actually just one pie-piece-shaped section in the northeast part of the cemetery is coming up clover, but that wouldn't fit in the headline.
The section will be sown with various clover and trefoil seeds this month. If successful, this experiment will likely be repeated throughout the cemetery.
What are the benefits of clover? According to PHC arborist Jack Phillips, a clover lawn blooms all summer, requires only occasional mowing, requires less weed control, and attracts pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies.
"A pollinator lawn, with a variety of species like white clover, red clover, and bird’s foot trefoil, creates an easy and colorful lawn," said Phillips, noting that the lawn at Prospect Hill was likely clover-based one hundred years ago.
Aside from a short mowing to maximize soil contact, not much is required to prepare a clover lawn. "Suffice it say, a historical clover-based pollinator lawn would be far less trouble than trying to grow a grass lawn, and would provide an important educational opportunity for other public spaces and those who might want to try this at home," Phillips said.
In addition to the clover experiment, other improvements coming to PHC this spring include the grading and resurfacing of several roads throughout the cemetery, and the removal of some decaying trees on the north end of the property.
Please donate to help fund these necessary projects at Prospect Hill Cemetery & Arboretum.
The section will be sown with various clover and trefoil seeds this month. If successful, this experiment will likely be repeated throughout the cemetery.
What are the benefits of clover? According to PHC arborist Jack Phillips, a clover lawn blooms all summer, requires only occasional mowing, requires less weed control, and attracts pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies.
"A pollinator lawn, with a variety of species like white clover, red clover, and bird’s foot trefoil, creates an easy and colorful lawn," said Phillips, noting that the lawn at Prospect Hill was likely clover-based one hundred years ago.
Aside from a short mowing to maximize soil contact, not much is required to prepare a clover lawn. "Suffice it say, a historical clover-based pollinator lawn would be far less trouble than trying to grow a grass lawn, and would provide an important educational opportunity for other public spaces and those who might want to try this at home," Phillips said.
In addition to the clover experiment, other improvements coming to PHC this spring include the grading and resurfacing of several roads throughout the cemetery, and the removal of some decaying trees on the north end of the property.
Please donate to help fund these necessary projects at Prospect Hill Cemetery & Arboretum.
100 Years Ago at Prospect Hill
Former Omaha mayor and U.S. Senator Joseph Millard was laid to rest in January of 1922 in a simple ceremony at Prospect Hill Cemetery. There was no music, no formal ceremony and few flowers, in keeping with the wishes of the well known banker and politician.
"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes," intoned the Rev. E. H. Jenks of First Presbyterian Church as he laid a single pink rose on Millard's black casket.
Millard was Mayor of Omaha for about a year beginning in April, 1872, when short terms were the norm. He served in the Senate from 1901 to 1907. At the time of his death, Millard was chairman of Omaha National Bank, having served in various capacities with the bank for more than 50 years.
Along with his brother, Ezra Millard, Joseph Millard founded the forerunner to the Omaha National Bank shortly after coming to Omaha in 1856 from Hamilton, Ontario. Also interred in the Millard lot in the southeast section of PHC are Joseph's wife, Caroline Barrows Millard, and his daughter, Jesse.
Ezra Millard, who preceded his brother as mayor, is also buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery.
"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes," intoned the Rev. E. H. Jenks of First Presbyterian Church as he laid a single pink rose on Millard's black casket.
Millard was Mayor of Omaha for about a year beginning in April, 1872, when short terms were the norm. He served in the Senate from 1901 to 1907. At the time of his death, Millard was chairman of Omaha National Bank, having served in various capacities with the bank for more than 50 years.
Along with his brother, Ezra Millard, Joseph Millard founded the forerunner to the Omaha National Bank shortly after coming to Omaha in 1856 from Hamilton, Ontario. Also interred in the Millard lot in the southeast section of PHC are Joseph's wife, Caroline Barrows Millard, and his daughter, Jesse.
Ezra Millard, who preceded his brother as mayor, is also buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery.
