Family says condition of Portsmouth cemetery is 'depressing'

The families of the people buried at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Portsmouth have pointed several cosmetic problems—from the flooding on the roads to the trash found in the grass.

Last year there was money put away to fix some of these problems, but one year later nothing has been done.

Lisa Bares says it's frustrating to not see any fixes.

"I wish I had the money to dig up my family and move them somewhere else this is depressing to come out here and I visit all the time," said Bares.

Bares said visiting her loved ones gives her a lot of grief because of the unkempt appearance.

"How would you feel if you came out to see your family and you couldn't find them because the weeds have overtaken their headstones?" said Bares. "There are six headstones just in that one spot that are covered."

Bares said this historic cemetery is predominately Black.

While walking the grounds with her, News 3 discovered some of these gravestones are so old they're sinking in the earth. Many are unreadable and the plots flood often due to a lack of drainage.

But it's not just the headstones needing maintenance.

The roof of the mausoleum is also in bad shape.

There is lots of litter on the grass and above all else, the roads need to be repaired.

"As you're coming through the entrance of the cemetery there is a big crater where you dip and you don't think your car is coming out of it and then you are ducking and dodges crater as you are coming out of the cemetery," said Bares.

Bares says she's here often because of her mom and sister Ivita who died at age 15. She had diabetes and lupus.

"We were close," said Bares. "We would say we weren't going to get married we were going to live with each other until we got old we were going to get a dog and just be us when she died, i was devastated,"

She sayidher family has done their best to maintain the tombstones of her mom and sister.

"My uncles and I we come out and once or twice a year we clean our family members headstones," she said.

But protecting them on their own is hard to do.

Last June the city of Portsmouth voted to take over the site, allotting $50,0000 in the fiscal year budget to clean up and include drainage and road and monument repair.

Bares says she thought she'd see something by now.

"It is expensive to bury someone. People pay to have their families buried here and then to come in and visit and it's like, this is where my family is at,"

On Friday, News 3 reached out to the city for comment and an update on the clean-up and reconstruction. We were told a response would be given to us on Monday.