HOPE, IDAHO, Idaho — Near Hope, Idaho, there's a renewed push to preserve what is arguably one of the area's more historic cemeteries.
Dubbed the "Pioneer Cemetery," the small plot of land sits off of Highland Avenue between the road and a retaining wall overlooking Highway 200. Located just outside of Hope city limits, the cemetery contains the graves of former Hope-area settlers and Chinese railroad workers from the late 1800s.
A relatively new sign at the graveyard says the land, formerly nicknamed the "Chinese Cemetery," was established in 1884. The area contains only a handful of visible tombstones along with unique wooden "cribs" built presumably over grave sites.
According to volunteers and members of Hope's cemetery preservation group, the city is hoping to annex the Pioneer Cemetery in an effort to formally protect the historic graveyard.
"It's part of my history. And the history of Hope," said longtime Hope resident James Livingston.
Livingston, who grew up down the street from the old cemetery, organized a cemetery cleanup effort this month. Last week, Livingston and a team spent over an hour clearing excess brush, branches, and debris from the formerly overgrown area.
"This had fallen into such disrepair that hardly anyone knew who was here," said Livingston of the Pioneer Cemetery's formerly abandoned state. "If someone didn't do something with it, it would be lost to time."
"This is quite a unique, beautiful little cemetery," said volunteer Pat Bistline, moments after catching his breath during the cleanup. "I think it honors the early pioneers of our area. And then I think any cemetery is always sort of a special place."
According to Livingston, it's not entirely clear who owns the Pioneer Cemetery. The city was attempting to clear up the matter before formally attempting to annex the land.
"I'm of the mind that everyone that passes this way should have a marker and be remembered," Livingston said of the effort. "And now it's kind of come back to life."
Livingston said it wasn't entirely clear if or when the property would be annexed. He added that the volunteer group plans to clean up the cemetery on a regular basis and potentially add additional features like benches or a columbarium.