I’ve got a name!

Stealing a line from the 1973 Jim Croce hit, and moving forward on the highway of life or at least up East Avenue and Mountain Road, the Friends of Owego Evergreen Cemetery have asked the Village to give the Evergreen Mortuary Chapel a street address (number). Street numbers are, of course, critical for EMS and 911 responses, the Postal Service, and myriad other conveniences.

One would think that the sea of bureaucrats who have administered such things would have caught the omission in the 103 years since the Randall Brothers constructed the chapel in 1920. However, the chapel may soon bear the proud label of 83 East Avenue; and if it does, we will know when we see the advertising circulars stacking up on the newly restored front apron.

And on a more serious note, the official designation of the new Evergreen Chapel parking lot next door to the chapel, whose address may be 81 East Avenue, now has its name enshrined below the newly erected Historical Map and Marker on the East side of the chapel.

The Ward-Fink parking lot, a Village of Owego lot, is ideally situated for the beginning of an Aerobic Journey up East Beecher Hill into Evergreen Cemetery. It is hoped that as the Friends of Evergreen work to restore the Chapel the lot will serve visitors to the Chapel when it is opened up as a small event space, in addition to a point of departure for Evergreen historical and cultural events.

Many of you knew our beloved Friends of Evergreen founding president, and dedicated “Flat Rat” Marie Ward, whose life enriched our community.

Barb Fink, the second female Mayor of Owego, was a great Friend to Evergreen, helping to have the Cemetery listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Funds to create the sign, the parking lot and sidewalks came from the Friends, and a generous grant from the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation with a boost from Owego’s Rotary Club.

(Peter Gordon is an Owego historian, and serves as secretary for the Friends of Owego Evergreen Cemetery.)