Beni Israel Cemetery in Eudora, Kansas, has been awarded $28,605 for site upgrades, historical research and public engagement.
The money comes from a grant as part of the Douglas County 2024 Natural and Cultural Heritage Program.
The cemetery was founded in 1858 by territorial settlers who relocated to the area via the German Immigrant Settlement Company of Chicago, Illinois. It is the major surviving property associated with the Jewish community, which flourished in Eudora from 1857 to 1867 before relocating to Lawrence, Kansas.
Among those interred at the cemetery are the founding fathers of Eudora, including city councilmen, the city clerk, postmaster and several business owners. It is one of only two Jewish cemeteries in Kansas and appears on the national record of historic sites.
Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation (LJCC) took over custody of the cemetery in 1978 after a period of abandonment and neglect. Several upgrades have been done over the years as well as regular mowing and maintenance.
Projects funded by the two-year grant will include the restoration of nine of the early headstones, upgrades to the existing driveway, addition of benches and signage to include an interpretive sign linking to various historical and genealogical websites.
LJCC will be hosting an onsite tour this fall, led by KU American Studies and History Professor Emeritus Dr. David Katzman. Dr. Katzman will also guide further research about the cemetery and the early settlers of Douglas County.
Those interested in learning more about these projects can contact the LJCC at (785) 841-7636.