The State of West Virginia has begun a search in Southern West Virginia for suitable land to establish a state veterans cemetery.

According to a press release this week from the West Virginia Division of Veterans Affairs, Gov. Joe Manchin has directed the state to conduct a study on the viability of having a state veterans cemetery in our area. Officials are looking for donated property in either Logan, Boone, Raleigh, Fayette, Putnam, Lincoln and Wayne Counties.

The release states that the Federal Veteran’s Administration has committed to funding the construction costs of a state cemetery and the state will then provide for the operational costs of the cemetery.

Officials are seeking information on property of 100 or more acres which could be donated to the state for a cemetery in one of the seven counties mentioned.

Anyone interested is encouraged to contact Veterans Affairs. They should include a plot plan and a narrative description of the property, including acreage and any physical or legal restrictions that may affect its use.

Interested persons should contact Larry Lynch, director, West Virginia Division of Veterans Affairs, 1321 Plaza East, Suite 109, Charleston, WV, 25301. You can reach him by phone at 304-558-3661.