Spirits abound at Lone Mountain Cemetery by Arthur Pines,Outpost Staff In this package: Walk with dead Cemeteries of Virginia Cities Unknown soldiers Five years ago, the Lone Mountain Cemetery was full of weeds and trash, and many grave markers were breaking apart and going unnoticed. Thanks to the efforts of the Parks and Recreation Department in Carson City and acting Sexton David Stultz, Lone Mountain is now a well-maintained cemetery, signifying a renewed sense of pride and civic responsibility. Sexton David Stultz keeps the grounds eternally kempt. Photo by Arthur Pines. What has happened at Lone Mountain Cemetery, where generous and sometimes anonymous contributions take place, is spirited to say the least. Stultz said a well-known Carson City resident had a grave repaired, pouring concrete and putting in a solid, black metal fence with his own money. Abram Curry. RIP. Lone Mountain Cemetery. Photo by Arthur Pines. Although the donor was not related to the deceased, he was inspired to fix the site after the grave was vandalized. "He wanted to do the right thing," Stultz said. Cindy Southerland, a University of Nevada, Reno, graduate student who has written a guide of the Lone Mountain Cemetery, sees examples like this as a step in the right direction. "We really support and encourage this kind of involvement from the community to help preserve and protect what's left of our historical cemeteries," she said. Community involvement in the cemetery is not a new phenomenon. For example, the Civil War Memorial, erected in 1891 for the soldiers who guarded Fort Churchill, was funded by the U.S. Congress and the state legislature after a push by area citizens. Loaded with imagery, Harrison Shrieves' marker sprouts from its surroundings. Photo by Arthur Pines. The memorial is an impressive dedication to the "unknown" soldiers originally buried at Fort Churchill. It stands 18 feet high at the base of Lone Mountain on the north end of the cemetery. Nevada Historical Society curator Phillip Earl said the original wooden markers near Fort Churchill were weathered, and sagebrush and cheat grass had grown over the mounds of these soldiers. When Congress had them moved to Lone Mountain in the 1880s, most of the soldiers were unknown. Another important pioneer of the Nevada territory buried at Lone Mountain is Abram Curry, who was born in 1815 and died in 1873. Earl says Curry is "the father of Carson City." In 1964, a new marker made of solid granite stone with marble engraving was erected to tout Curry's accomplishments. His grave is located a hundred paces southwest of the Civil War Memorial. Near Curry's resting place, a richly symbolic gravestone belongs to Harrison Shrieves, who lived from 1846 to 1874. It has a draped stone, which symbolizes dignity and the passing of life, according to Southerland's Lone Mountain Cemetery guide. He died from bad medicine administered by Dr. Stephenson of Virginia City, Southerland says. Jennie Clemens, the niece of Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) sleeps in the middle of the cemetery. Jennie died in 1864 at age 9 of scarlet fever. Abram Curry donated the sandstone marker for her grave site. Many others including governors, legendary stage driver Hank Monk and prominent pioneers are buried at Lone Mountain. Related sites: Nevada geneology Politicians' graves The Lone Mountain Cemetery guide by Southerland is sold at the Nevada State Museum at 600 N. Carson St. and at the Lone Mountain office across from the cemetery gate on Beverly Avenue. The guide helps locate many graves and explains much about personal histories and tombstone symbolism. Funerary services still take place. Sexton David Stultz says people can visit but must respect the dead. From Reno, go south on U.S. Highway 395 to Carson City take a left at Winnie, a right on Roop and a left on Beverly. It's about a 35-minute drive from downtown Reno.  copyright 12/10/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost   Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost