'It’s pretty sad': Flooding leaves hundreds of graves sinking in Wauwatosa cemetery

WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A cemetery in Wauwatosa is raising new concerns after flooding left significant damage behind, and those connected to the site say they are still waiting on Milwaukee County to step in.

From above, Milwaukee County Grounds Cemetery 3 looks like an open field.

But on the ground, the damage is clear - large holes, uneven terrain and sinking graves scattered across the property.

The area was completely underwater during recent flooding.

Judy Klimt Houston, president and founder of the Descendant Community of Milwaukee County Grounds Cemeteries, said the water reached several feet high.

“It was above the fence, so five or six feet of water that came from the northwest side relief sewer,” she said.

Since then, the ground has not recovered. Klimt Houston said the flooding caused widespread damage to burial sites.

“We have at least 500 graves that have collapsed and are not vaulted. They are wooden caskets,” she said.

The cemetery, which dates back to 1925, holds thousands of people.

“We know many of the people buried here and more so we know their relatives,” she said.

Now, many of those graves are at risk. Walking through the cemetery can also be dangerous.

Mark Houston, genealogical project administrator for the Descendant Community, said the ground conditions pose a hazard.

“There are some pretty big depressions. It’s not like you’re going to fall into a hole but you could take a wrong step and fall over it very easily,” he said.

They have reached out to Milwaukee County but have not seen action.

“They created these problems when they adding these berms,” Klimt Houston said.

“These two berms on the right side and one to the far west have made this into a secondary flood basin,” she added.

Concerns are growing that the damage will continue to worsen with future flooding.

“The more and more it floods the worse and worse it gets,” Mark Houston said. “You wouldn’t want your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents or anybody buried here, it’s pretty sad.”

Klimt Houston said preserving the cemetery is not just about maintenance, but responsibility.

“This is a legal requirement, keep them preserved, keep them safe. It is a cultural resource. If we start letting this one go, are we going to continue letting others go,” she said.