Historic preservation grant to benefit Oak Hill Cemetery clean-up efforts

Oak Hill Cemetery is the resti...

HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Michigan – The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) came through for Holly Township in a big way last month, awarding it a $5,000 grant to be used for sprucing up Oak Hill Cemetery on Grange Hall Road.

Once a privately owned cemetery, it is the final resting place of many well-known Holly families, and contains some of the oldest graves in Oakland County including Elias Cady, a Revolutionary War hero and trusted bodyguard to George Washington.

Township officials approved grant application in January, and later submitted it to DAR Grant Coordinator Brenda Kociemba. Supervisor Jesse Lambert credits Kociemba for her extraordinary efforts in assisting the township with the application, ensuring that it was ready for its February submission into the nationwide DAR-sponsored grant program.

“I knew we were getting close to the notification deadline, but I was only expecting a partial approval,” Lambert said. “The news of a full approval is outstanding considering Holly was competing for this grant on a national stage.” Approved for the entire $5,000 amount, Holly Township will be required to match the amount at a later date.

Some grant funds will be used ...

Lambert said the funds will be put toward repairing Oak Hill Cemetery’s mausoleum, to erect a new flagpole, to restore and clean grave markers, and install signage that will highlight the historic nature of the cemetery. With hopes for the work to be completed by Veterans’ Day, Lambert said there has always been plenty of support among township residents for renovating the cemetery. “Now all the township needs are a few volunteers to help with the gravestone cleaning.”

For more information or to volunteer to help with the ongoing refurbishing efforts of Oak Hill Cemetery, contact Lambert at (248) 634-9331, extension 304, or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .