Coffin Cemetery Restoration

Coffin Cemetery, located on a scenic woodsy hilltop hidden behind the Fort Dodge Asphalt gravel pit just west of Fort Dodge...the original site of the farmstead created by Lorenzo Coffin, one of early Iowa's leading citizens. 

The 2009 drive to clean up the cemetery was spearheaded by Roger Natte and completed with the help of many Webster County Historical Society volunteers.  Trees were removed, brush cleared.  A sign will soon be posted at the sight.

Special thanks to Matt McCrady for his asssistance on this project,  and to Billy Gribble of Fort Dodge Asphalt for giving us access to the site.  We powerwashed all the tombstones,  reset the small obelisk monument,  reset the loose markers in a cement pad,  and  patched / caulked the entire structure.  We also added some crushed limestone to the front and side to help keep the weeds back.  

Roger Natte inspecting the finished restoration of Coffin Cemetery

Carrie_P_Fallen_obelisk.JPG (605868 bytes)

Carrie P  fallen obelisk

Small_monument_pedestal_askew.JPG (600436 bytes)

Base for Carrie P askew

Matt_powerwashing__obelisk_2.JPG (603630 bytes)

Matt McCrady powerwashing after leveling base, and resealing the pieces using adhesive and setting compound.  

Carrie P obelisk reset.JPG (617719 bytes)

Carrie P obelisk completed

 

 

 

Before

Roger_Natte_opening_gate_2.JPG (619995 bytes)

Roger Natte opening gate

Front of plot.JPG (614538 bytes)

Front of family plot

Front - right end.JPG (617975 bytes)

A line of monuments jointed by a block wall

Front - left end.JPG (604473 bytes)

Front left end

Arad & Margaret Chase monument.JPG (618109 bytes)

Arad & Margaret Chase monument

LS__Mary_Coffin_monument.JPG (607076 bytes)

Lorenzo & Mary Coffin monument

Gerald and Jerree mkrs.JPG (591049 bytes)

Gerald and Jerree loose markers

Charles marker.JPG (613749 bytes)

Charles loose marker

CTC marker.JPG (613006 bytes)

CTC loose marker

Cynthia_T_Coffin_upright.JPG (591643 bytes)

Thin marble upright for Cynthia Coffin

Hattie_Coffin_sm_upright.JPG (608216 bytes)

Small marble upright for Hattie Coffin

Kittie_May_Coffin_upright.JPG (603205 bytes)

Tall and thin marble upright for Kittie May Coffin

Open_crack__on_back_wall.JPG (604521 bytes)

Open crack on back wall

Corner deterioration.JPG (607664 bytes)

Deterioration on front corner

Deterioration of caps.JPG (607561 bytes)

Left end wall deterioration

Deterioration_on_corner.JPG (603623 bytes)

Left corner capstone deterioration

 

After

Matt_powerwashing_Cynthia_stone_2.JPG (606726 bytes)

Matt McCrady powerwashing Cynthia stone

Coffin_cemetery_complete_2.JPG (602786 bytes)

Finished!

Arad_and_Margaret_Chase_monument_done_2.JPG (607049 bytes)

Chase monument Powerwashed, sealed cracks around stone, added limestone at base

LS__Mary_Coffin_monument_done.JPG (601979 bytes)

Coffin monument  Powerwashed, sealed cracks around stone, added limestone at base

Front w markers reset.JPG (603201 bytes)

Left end with markers reset, stones cleaned and sealed

Cynthia_T_stone_w_markers_reset.JPG (604840 bytes)

Loose markers reset in cement pad

Cynthia_T_Coffin_upright_cleaned.JPG (598787 bytes)

Cynthia Coffin cleaned and sealed around edges with caulk

Hattie_Coffin_upright_cleaned.JPG (601074 bytes)

Hattie Coffin cleaned and sealed around edges with caulk

Kittie_May_coffin_stone_cleaned.JPG (607688 bytes)

Kittie May Coffin cleaned and sealed around edges

Back wall repair.JPG (592800 bytes)

Patched crack on back wall with cement

Repaired corner.JPG (601999 bytes)

Patched front corner with cement

Repaired left end wall.JPG (596966 bytes)

Repaired left end wall with cement

Repaired back wall.JPG (617880 bytes)

Patched back wall with cement