Cemetery preservation programs

The following is from the National Preservation Institute: The National Preservation Institute, a nonprofit organization founded in 1980, educates those involved in the management, preservation, and stewardship of cultural heritage. The 2013 National Preservation Institute seminar schedule is available online at www.npi.org. The 2013 NPI News Release includes the calendar and seminar descriptions www.npi.org/NewsRelease2013.pdf. Advance registration is available through March 8, 2013 Scholarship applications accepted (see details below) in cooperation with the Chicora Foundation, Inc., Stafford County Cemetery Committee, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources Cemetery Preservation Stafford, VA — April 17-18, 2013 Learn how to begin a cemetery preservation or restoration project and how to help ensure that sound choices are made to avoid harming what you seek to protect. Discussions focus on current issues in cemetery preservation, such as recording and documenting cemeteries and graveyards, undertaking preservation efforts, and exploring conservation techniques and issues. An agenda is available online at www.npi.org. Instructors. Debi Hacker, conservation administrator of Chicora Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit heritage preservation organization specializing in research, public education, conservation, and preservation for museums, archives, and historic organizations and Michael Trinkley, Ph.D., director of Chicora Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit heritage preservation organization specializing in research, public education, conservation, and Cemetery Landscapes: A Practical Guide to Care and Maintenance Stafford, VA — April 19, 2013 Learn how to protect historic cemetery landscapes, preserve integrity of design, and safeguard tombstones and monuments while pursuing a practical outlook on maintenance and budget concerns. Explore approaches to caring for softscapes, or plantings, and hardscapes, including roads, pathways, and benches. Discuss effective pruning and cutting techniques, and when chemicals and heavy equipment can be safely and productively used. Review the basics of short- and long-term preservation plans. An agenda is available online at www.npi.org. Instructor. Debi Hacker LA/CES. These seminars meet the criteria for programs in the American Society of Landscape Architects Continuing Education System and ASLA members will receive 6 learning units each day. Registration. A registration form is available online at www.npi.org/register.html. The advance registration rate is available through March 8 — $450 (2 days – Cem Pres) / $275 (1 day – Cem Landscape) / $600 (3 days – both seminars). The regular registration rate after that date is $500 (2 days – Cem Pres) / $325 (1 day – Cem Landscape) / $650 (3 days – both seminars). Scholarships. A National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant for scholarships covers the cost of tuition for qualified applicants to attend NPI seminars in targeted cultural resource management areas. For more information and the application form, go to www.npi.org/scholarships. Questions? Please contact us. Thank you. Jere Gibber Executive Director National Preservation Institute P.O. Box 1702, Alexandria, VA 22313 703/765-0100; 703/768-9350 fax info@npi.org; www.npi.org

Cemetery Preservation Workshop

Here's a news release from the National Preservation Institute:

The National Preservation Institute, a nonprofit organization founded in 1980, educates those involved in the management, preservation, and stewardship of our cultural heritage. The 2011-2012 National Preservation Institute seminar schedule is available online at www.npi.org. The 2011-2012 NPI News Release includes the calendar and seminar descriptions www.npi.org/NewsRelease2011-12.pdf.

Advance registration is available through September 14, 2011
Scholarships applications accepted (see details below)
in cooperation with the Chicora Foundation, Inc.,
the Public History Program, School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, Arizona State University, and the State Historic Preservation Office, Arizona State Parks

Cemetery Preservation
Phoenix, AZ – October 25-26, 2011

Learn how to begin a cemetery preservation or restoration project and how to help ensure that sound choices are made to avoid harming what you seek to protect. Discussions focus on current issues in cemetery preservation, such as recording and documenting cemeteries and graveyards, undertaking preservation efforts, and exploring conservation techniques and issues. An agenda is available online at www.npi.org.

Instructors. Debi Hacker, conservation administrator of Chicora Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit heritage preservation organization specializing in research, public education, conservation, and preservation for museums, archives, and historic organizations and Michael Trinkley, Ph.D., director of Chicora Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit heritage preservation organization specializing in research, public education, conservation, and

Cemetery Landscapes: A Practical Guide to Care and Maintenance
Phoenix, AZ – October 27, 2011

Learn how to protect historic cemetery landscapes, preserve integrity of design, and safeguard tombstones and monuments while pursuing a practical outlook on maintenance and budget concerns. Explore approaches to caring for softscapes, or plantings, and hardscapes, including roads, pathways, and benches. Discuss effective pruning and cutting techniques, and when chemicals and heavy equipment can be safely and productively used. Review the basics of short- and long-term preservation plans. An agenda is available online at www.npi.org.

Instructor. Debi Hacker

LA/CES. These seminars meet the criteria for programs in the American Society of Landscape Architects Continuing Education System and ASLA members will receive 6 learning units each day.

Registration. A registration form is available online at www.npi.org/register.html. The advance registration rate is available through September 14 — $450 (2 days – Cem Pres) / $275 (1 day – Cem Landscape) / $600 (3 days – both seminars).

The regular registration rate after that date is $500 (2 days – Cem Pres) / $325 (1 day – Cem Landscape) / $650 (3 days – both seminars).

Scholarships. A National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant for scholarships covers the cost of tuition for qualified applicants to attend NPI seminars in targeted cultural resource management areas. For more information and the application form, go to www.npi.org/scholarships.

Coalition works to save Ga. cemetery

Efforts are under way to preserve a historic African-American cemetery in Savannah, Ga.
Here's an interesting tidbit from the story, not directly cemetery-related, but more to do with geocaching:

Arch a big cache for gamers

Though few of the people who speed past the LePageville Memorial Cemetery on President Street pay much attention to the area, it's become a popular spot for participants in the GPS-driven game of geocaching.

Once they locate the exact coordinates, the players sign a list that's securely set inside a small canister.

Geocaching "is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure," according to its official Web site. It requires GPS technology to participate, and there are some 985,877 active geocaches around the world.

The LePageville Memorial Cemetery is one of many sites in the Savannah area. Other local geocache destinations include Fort Pulaski, Columbia Square and Bonaventure Cemetery.

Cemetery mapper in New Hampshire

Here's a nice feature story about a New Hampshire man who "maps" cemeteries using GPS and other tools.

New York town receives $5,000 grant

Waverly, New York, received a $5,000 grant to help preserve a local cemetery. The funds will go toward repairing a cannon from the Civil War era.

New take on cemeteries in the down economy

The Los Angeles Times writes about the economic struggles cemeteries face. This focuses largely on preserving the statuary of such historic sites at Green-Wood in Brooklyn, N.Y., but touches on other economic concerns, as well.

Cemetery records fading from history

This is a little different from the usual material we cover here, but this, I'm sure, is a typical case for very old cemeteries in America: The town of Northboro, Mass., is having trouble maintaining its oldest cemetery records, which are fading and falling apart.

Greensboro, North Carolina,, wrestles with neglected cemetery

Citizens are striving to resurrect and preserve an old cemetery in the town.

Work begins on preserving old Maine gravestones

Workers are preserving old gravestones at the Old North Cemetery in Portsmouth, which was established in 1753.

Cemetery and prairie preservation

Thanks to a connection at MyCity, who told me that in Indiana, the Nature Conservancy is helping preserve some prairie land in and around a cemetery...Seems as if both sides will benefit.

South Dakota volunteers work to preserve cemeteries

This article highlights the work of volunteers who help keep up cemeteries in South Dakota.

Property rights vs. historic preservation

Greenville, South Carolina, is wrestling with historic preservation issues that could affect cemeteries. Funding is available for preservation measures -- but only if local standards match those of the states. Property-rights advocates say that this could give local historic preservationists powers even greater than eminent domain.

$250G for "cemetery interpretation" in Nacogdoches, Texas

The city of Nacogdoches, Texas, and Stephen F. Austin University are receiving a $250,000 "Preserve America" grant from the National Parks Service for a joint project to map and study the Oak Grove and Zion Hill cemeteries in the city. From the article:

The first objective of the project is to build upon existing Geographic
Information Systems data to create a model cemetery-interpretation program for
the Oak Grove and Zion Hill cemeteries in Nacogdoches. Once established,
genealogy researchers and heritage tourists may access the program online to
learn about the historic cemeteries and the people buried in them.

Vermont seeks to expand cemetery protection

Vermont lawmakers are looking to expand protection of cemeteries and graves from the threat of moving.

Currently, Vermont's burial statute allows a parent, spouse, sibling or
child of the deceased to object to a grave relocation.
The bill would expand the list to include descendants of the dead, local cemetery commissioners, historical societies, veterans groups and cemetery preservation groups such as the Vermont Old Cemetery Association.

The Dead Space Project

Here's a link to a research project on a New Orleans cemetery, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, by the University of Pennsylvania. I'm also putting a link among the other research sites off to the side of this blog.

Historic Florida cemetery to be rededicated

The Hickory Hill cemetery in the Tallahasse area, which dates back to the post-Civil War era, is being rededicated after a 15-year effort to clean it up

Texas man to be honored for cemetery care

Henry Martinez, 80, of Dallas will be honored for his efforts to care for Trinity Portland Cemetery for more than 40 years. Many early Mexican Americans are buried there.

National Preservation Institute: Seminar on Cemetery Preservation

Here's the link to a notice about a seminar scheduled for September 15-16 in South Bend, Indiana.

New York town strives to save old cemeteries

Efforts are under way in the Bedford, N.Y., area to restore many old cemeteries, some of which date to Colonial times. When you get to this link, note the video clip, and a long list of cemeteries.