Morris Leader

The Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation recently marked the first anniversary of the "Celebrated Past" Compendium Project. This project features an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap© highlighting Morris County cemeteries, including the Orchard Street Cemetery and Gatehouse in Dover.

The Orchard Street Cemetery Gatehouse, constructed around 1875, is among 21 historic sites in 16 towns across Morris County benefiting from $3.6 million in grants from the county's Preservation Trust Fund. These funds aim to restore, preserve, and protect these sites.

A tour of the cemetery was conducted to showcase ongoing restoration work. Participants included Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, Commissioner Tayfun Selen, Dover Mayor James Dodd, Joseph Barilla from the Office of Planning and Preservation, former Dover Alderman R. Keith Titus from the Orchard Street Gatehouse Historical Association, and Paul K. Wood, a historian associated with the association.

The cemetery has faced challenges such as vandalism; an incident three years ago saw several tombstones toppled. "As liaison to the Office of Planning and Preservation," said Deputy Director Shaw, "I'd like to highlight the support provided by the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund for cemetery restoration projects."

Founded in 1850 and certified by New Jersey's State Historical Preservation office earlier this year, Orchard Street Cemetery is notable for its headstones crafted by masons like David J. "DJ" Howell. The site includes unique memorials such as a bench dedicated to Joseph Kekuku.

Joseph Barilla emphasized that "the master list of obituaries in the compendium allows for searches by name, date, and cemetery location," while also providing historical context through StoryMap.

Paul Wood noted that "we have 125 veterans buried here," including five from the War of 1812 who are related to Colonel Jacob Ford of Morristown.

R. Keith Titus shared his personal connection: “My family has been in Dover for 250 years and I have ancestors buried here as well.”

Since 2003, Morris County has allocated over $50 million toward preserving historic locations through its Preservation Trust Fund—supporting efforts at 123 sites via 533 grants.

“It’s exciting to see these sites come back to life,” said Shaw regarding taxpayer-supported preservation efforts ahead of America's upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026.