Volunteers Transforming Concordia Cemetery | News

Buffalo, N.Y.- Opened in 1859 to serve three German parishes in the area, Concordia Cemetery is the final resting place to scores of immigrants that built Buffalo. In later years, Concordia served the residents of its East Side neighborhood.                       

Space was limited on the fifteen acre property, but over the years almost 20,000 people were buried at Concordia. Over time, neglect and greed, left the cemetery in rough shape.

In 2003, a small group of volunteers set out to ensure that the sacred grounds return to the grace they once had. Channel Two Photojournalist Dooley O'Rourke spoke to just a few of those dedicated to preserving Concordia.