Historic Cemetery Vandalized; Grave Markers of Civil War Soldiers Stolen in Compton

Compton, CA: The authorities have opened a probe to look into the vandalism of a historic cemetery in Compton.

Residents are angry because almost 600 grave markers were stolen from the graves. The vandals attacked the Woodlawn Celestial Gardens on Tuesday night. They destroyed several graves and stole bronze grave markers from nearly 600 graves.

There were damages to 23 headstones at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens last week, according to the police. It is thought that the thieves broke the headstones with a sledgehammer. Many of the stones were put at the graves of soldiers.

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The cemetery’s owner, Celestina Bishop, says that most of the headstones can’t be made again because they were made in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Compton cops are now looking into the damage to the cemetery.

Woodlawn is a historical site in Los Angeles County and the final resting place of 18 Civil War soldiers.

Celestina Bishop said that leaders in the area have a moral duty to help protect Woodlawn Celestial Gardens. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles County and is where people from the city’s founding and veterans of the Civil War are buried.

The city council had not said anything about what they would do to stop the grave thefts.

Bishop has been in charge of the graveyard since the last owner gave up the license four years ago. Almost a week after thieves savaged the park, she said that only one council member had called out to her.

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