PRESERVING HISTORIC WALLACE-DICKEY CEMETERY GOAL OF LOCAL GROUP
Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association NFP
Ottawa, IL
Preservation Association NFP
After spending time looking at the condition of the wall surrounding the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery on the north bluff in Ottawa, both Chuck Sanders, president of the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association, and Keith Stehl, Ottawa Masonry, acknowledge it going to be a large and expensive undertaking. “We want to re-use as much of the original Joliet limestone as possible”, stated Sanders.
A dedicated group of volunteers, mostly members of the Starved Rock Civil War Round Table, started some restoration work in 2019, but, the work was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This same group has handled mundane maintenance chores such as mowing the grass and collecting fallen branches for several years.
Created in 2021 with a goal to restore and preserve this private, land-locked cemetery, the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association has begun a major fundraising effort with the goal of stabilizing the existing wall and rebuilding it as necessary. As a first step, two trees will be removed, thanks to a generous donation from a benefactor.
As part of their fundraising efforts, the Association is planning a Civil War re-enactment event on the grounds of the Reddick Mansion on Saturday, May 18th. Events on Sunday, May 19th, will include guided tours of the cemetery and a presentation about General Wallace at the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum.
The cemetery dates back to the early 1800s and holds the graves of several members of the Wallace and Dickey families, including General WHL Wallace killed in the Battle of Shiloh (and immortalized in the mural above Jeremiah Joe’s in downtown Ottawa), T. Lyle Dickey, a prominent attorney of the mid 19th century, their wives and children.
People interested in helping preserve this unique part of Ottawa’s history can send donations to “Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association NFP”, PO Box 392, Ottawa, IL 61350. Volunteers are also needed, both for helping at the fundraising event and for the construction/maintenance of the cemetery. People wanting more information or to volunteer can reach the Association via e-mail at gen_wallace@outlook.com.
Caption for photo: (Sanders in darker cap; Stehl in plaid shirt)
Chuck Sanders, president of the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association, and Keith Stehl, Ottawa Masonry, look at the current condition of the wall surrounding the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery, a land-locked private family cemetery, on the North Bluff in Ottawa.