MILAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – In 2024, three Lansing cemeteries brought in $495,000 in revenue, but costs added up to more than 1 million that same year.
Every headstone in a cemetery represents a story; without maintenance, many of those stories are at risk of being lost to time.
On June 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the 48 State Tour will host a free event at the Rice Cemetery in Milan Township, the event aims to spread awareness on what we can do to help and how we can honor those who came before us.
Michigan’s unique climate poses issues for maintenance; freeze-thaw cycles cause cracks and damage headstones every season.
The state is home to more than 11k known cemeteries, many of which are older than the state.
Some graves date back to before Michigan began issuing statewide death certificates in 1867, for some a headstone is the last remaining record that person ever lived.
Andrew Noland, Sexton, Milan Township, and Jonathan Appel, Conservator, joined Local 4 Live to tell us more.
You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.