CHCO - Local Cemeteries

In the Fall of 2004, the Allegany Co. Commissioners removed the ten commandments monument which was placed in 1954 from in front of the Allegany Co. circuit courthouse located on Washington St. in Cumberland, MD. The CHCO, Preservation Society of Allegany County, and several church groups held several protest rallies at the courthouse to demand the monument back. Within a week, the monument was replaced and stands to this day.

SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery, located on Fayette St. on Cumberland's West Side. This cemetery is owned by Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church which was founded in 1848 for German Catholics in Cumberland. The cemetery is a treasure of area history. During the town annual Heritage Days festival the CHCO gives tours of the cemetery.

In 1993 the organization installed two major monuments in the cemetery. A child size ledger crypt was installed over the grave of ten year old George Reitmeier. The boy drowned in the C&O Canal in Cumberland on January 20, 1916. On that day George was in the area of the canal, when a child skating on the canal fell through the ice. George saved the child however he drowned in the rescue. He is the youngest in U.S. history to receive the Carnegie Hero Medal. Also in 1993 a large two layer black granite stone with a marble statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was placed on the graves of William and Mary Miller. The monument includes a prayer for the dead, the family's genealogy and a large organization seal engraved on the back panel.

Photo: CHCO ledger crypt of boy hero George Reitmeier unveiled by CHCO. All Souls Days Nov. 2, 1993.

Photo: CHCO monument of William and Mary Miller.

Graves of Phillip and Matilda Miller. Graves were unmarked since their death in 1920 & 1930. In 1992 the CHCO erected an unusual gratto style monument to their honor. The Millers were one of th early German families which were member sof the St. Peter and Paul parish. Phillip and Matilda are the parents of William Miller (previous photo).