Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy wrote in the 1880s the question, “How much land does a man need?”
The answer, of course, was, enough to be buried.
Barton County is once again opening a new area for that very purpose this week and it’s opening a new opportunity for its two memorial parks.
For the first time, the county is offering burial plots where upright markers will be allowed.
They county has, over the year, been required to take over ownership and operation of two failed rural memorial parks and with the help of the county staff, and a cemetery committee, has developed them. They were both designed with ground level markers only, however.
This week the county opens sales on Hillcrest Memorial Park North, which will provide for 1,672 spaces, according to Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips.
The four-foot by 10-foot spaces will sell for $350 each, he reported, adding they are $100 higher than in the other sections, because the upright markers will require more expense in maintenance.
These and the other county cemetery spaces can be purchased at the Register of Deeds Office in the courthouse.
Register of Deeds Marcia Johnson met with the commissioners Monday to have them sign off on the final plat for the new cemetery development, making it official, and the commission approved the plat.
She said there’s already a great deal of interest. “We’ve had several calls.”
Phillips said he wanted to thank the Road and Bridge and Noxious Weed staffs for the work they have invested in the development of these memorial parks.
Also, Monday, the commissioners approved a mowing agreement with Haberman Lawn Care for this season’s mowing of all of the memorial parks at a cost of $1,475 per month.