Journal story confirms Wharf's position

Following up on an earlier story, Rapid City Journal reporter Kevin Woster has interviewed a few folks with different perspectives on the proposed expansion of gold mining near Terry Peak by Wharf Resources.  His article, Terry Cemetery move unlikely in near-term mining expansion, appeared yesterday (1/9/11) in the Rapid City Journal.

Rapid City Journal photo by Kristina Barker

Comments attributed to Wharf general manager Bill Shand reaffirmed what LCHS President Jerry Bryant was told by Shand earlier in the week:  moving the Terry Cemetery is "unlikely" within the next five years.

Woster also contacted Jolene Rantapaa, Secretary of the Terry Cemetery Association, whose comments give rise to another sticky question:  if Wharf doesn't move the cemetery, how can the dwindling membership and resources of the cemetery association continue to maintain the remote cemetery?  It's a question that looms for other old cemeteries in similar circumstance across Lawrence County and elsewhere.

Already chafing from having lost historic buildings and artifacts to the Wharf gold mining operations in the Terry and Trojan vicinities, the Lawrence County Historical Society board of directors met last week to explore ways that the society might assist with the preservation and maintenance of county cemeteries that are struggling.

The LCHS board will convene again in a few weeks to further examine -- among other things -- what steps it might be able to take regarding cemeteries.  The group is scheduled to meet at 3:00 p.m., Friday, February 25th, 2011, in the LCHS Room of the newly-completed Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC) in Deadwood.  

Terry Cemetery area targeted

With gold prices nearly double what they were 10 years ago, Wharf Resources indicates they're moving forward with plans to expand their mining operations near Terry Peak -- and that could have implications for the Terry Cemetery.  

Although Wharf started its application process in September, it's been pretty much under the radar ever since.  That is, until a story by Kevin Woster emerged last week in the Rapid City Journal.  Woster wrote that the proposal "worries some nearby landowners and could force the relocation of more than 200 graves in the Terry Cemetery."

Above is a bit of history regarding the Terry Cemetery as depicted in the LCHS 1994 publication "Cemeteries and Graves in Lawrence County and Environs," edited by Irma Klock.

We suspect Wharf's proposal will gain additional attention in coming days as folks have an opportunity to comment on their plan.  If you wish to be heard, you should act by Tuesday, January 11th.  For a wealth of information -- and an opportunity to comment -- go to the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources web site.

As a sidebar, we are reminded of the appropriate steps taken some years back by Hershey Food Corporation when they discovered an old cemetery on land they were preparing to convert to a parking lot near their west plant in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  As it turns out, it was an old Hammacher family cemetery, ancestors of many Hamaker families now living in western South Dakota and western Nebraska.  Hershey stepped up to the plate and did the right thing by taking leadership in helping to preserve this historic cemetery.  We believe their actions serve as a model of corporate and civic responsibility.  

We hope Wharf Resources will display the same kind of leadership, but a public nudge in that direction might help.