Princeton’s historic Oakland Cemetery is undergoing significant improvements thanks to a generous donation from the Oakland Cemetery Preservation Fund, established by local benefactor Gary C. Johnson and supported by other contributors.

Recent upgrades include restored headstones, new signage, removal of 50 tree stumps, and landscape enhancements. A manlift was purchased to safely remove hazardous trees, and flowering trees will be planted this spring.

“Philanthropic gifts have sparked a thoughtful transformation that honors the cemetery’s legacy while enhancing its future,” Pamela Beckett, co-founder of the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation and co-creator of the preservation fund with Johnson, said.

Erik Ellberg, Princeton’s Cemetery and Streets Foreman, said stump removal has greatly improved the grounds’ appearance and increased safety by eliminating falling limbs and trees. He hopes continued donations will support further improvements.

Founded in 1836, just five years after Princeton’s establishment, Oakland Cemetery was originally owned by Rev. Lucien Farham and served the Hampshire Colony Congregational Church. The city leased the grounds in 1862 and expanded the site, naming it for the oak trees on the property.

Designed as a garden cemetery by landscape architect L.L. Herron and surveyor Romanus Hodgman, it featured carriage paths, picnic areas, and a Gothic revival office building. The cemetery is known for artistic monuments, including white bronze obelisks, angel statues, and a 34-foot granite memorial to pioneer historian Nehemiah Matson.

In 2021, Oakland Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it spans nearly 80 acres and holds over 15,000 burials, making it one of Bureau County’s most significant cemeteries.

For more information, contact the Princeton Cemetery Department at (815) 875-2631 or cemetery@princeton-il.com. To contribute to the preservation fund, visit the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation website.