Red River bank threatens classic cemetery

Christine, ND (WDAY TV) - There's a cemetery 15 miles south of Fargo surrounded by a sugar beet field and the banks of the Red River. The last burial was 16 years ago. Now the man, who keeps the classic cemetery alive, is pleading for help. The river banks are washing closer to the caskets each year, WDAY 6 Reporter Todd Kurtz has that story.

Oliver Mathison put it on himself to clean up the Hemnus Cemetery 40 years ago. Since the 97 flood the banks erode about 2 feet each year, leaving him worried about losing his special spot.

when Oliver took over the up keep of the cemetery 1 of his many projects was clearing out a parking lot that used to be right here. Now it’s been washed away by the Red River.

“Took the fence all down got that out of here, then I planted the evergreen trees and never knew they were going grow that tall.”

Since clearing everything out decades ago, Oliver now spends a few hours every week mowing the grass.

“The last couple years I’ve been letting it grow out, I’m getting too old.”

Oliver is, you can feel the Fargo man's passion for the graveyard by just walking the tombstones with him.

“My grandpa's here, my dada's buried here, and my greats from Norway are buried here too.”

The first burial was back around 1870, when the Hemnus Church was first created by a group of Norwegians. Oliver’s great grandparents came to the area not long after.

I was baptized in that church in 1924

Shortly after that baptism the church disappeared, leaving Richland County the decision maker for the Hemnus Cemetery and Oliver’s family. Richland County Emergency Manager Brett Lambrecht says the erosion next to the cemetery is top on there list of priorities. He's been in contact with the natural resources conservation service for funding help.

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