02-10-14 Council Agenda & Packet

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NIPS Form 10 -900 OMB No. 1024 -0018 South Bend City Cemetery St. Joseph, Indiana Name of Property County and State or formal. It is a unique, small scale combination of various styles, including Shingle, Late Victorian and Classic Revival. The interior employs an irregular floor plan. Built in cabinets and bookshelves store the voluminous inventory of interment records and a fireproof vault contains the earliest leather bound volumes handwritten to include a cause of death and other site information. Despite harsh Indiana winters, this building was never used as a receiving vault, chapel or other holding or reception area. Maintenance Building (buildin A non- contributing maintenance building, constructed about 1990 is located immediately to the east behind the sexton's cottage. The building measures about 98 by 20 feet with Concrete Masonry construction. There is a large roll up door at each end. City Cemetery (site) South Bend City Cemetery itself is a contributing site resource as an integral part of the city of South Bend that later grew around it. The current boundaries are shown on the site map which also includes the features and resources. Originally a rectangular plat, City Cemetery was expanded in two plat additions in 1868 and 1898. The expansions grew the acreage to the north and west of the original plat, setting the once open land in the context of the surrounding residential development and demonstrating a great stylistic change from the first lots nearest the gate. These additions complete the irregular, trapezoidal shape of the site. There are several internal, presently un- named, one -lane paths that wind through City Cemetery. Only one third of said paths are asphalt, and the rest are packed gravel. In some places, the paths reiterate the unusual, curvilinear design of the lots which serves to highlight certain markers. The overall topography of the site is flat with only slight rises or variations. The site is contained on all sides by a six foot iron fence. The Kankakee Mill Race (site) The Kankakee Mill Race, begun in 1861, is a significant resource of the cemetery. After Coquillard lost the $10,000 investment to drain water from the Kankakee River to create power at the continental divide, the ravine remained and the cemetery grew around it, until it was filled in the 1930s. The path of the Kankakee Mill Race is clearly visible, described as high ground with a good sod cover. This path has no other plantings and is bordered by very large trees. To the northeast side of the bridge that spans the Mill Race, the race has been speculated to have police - confiscated slot machines buried in the mid - fifties, an idea that is supported by a letter by former sexton Edward E. Grontkowski. The southwest side of the bridge is the site of veteran's graves. The Bridle (structure) A small stone bridge spans the failed Kankakee Mill Race, which stood as a ravine until filled in the 1930s. Constructed in 1887 and upon a request of the tax- payers to the City Council, the bridge was built in stone, rather than iron, as to create a picturesque and beautiful addition to the landscape. The keystones and top voissoirs of the bridge arch are still visible, as well as the heavy slate caps and some of the original brick paving. Although the Mill Race is now filled, the bridge stands as a reminder of the history of this failed venture. Section 7 page 9