Cemetery Preservation 101
… Next Date To Be Announced
Curious about that “abandoned” cemetery down the road? There are plenty of them on the Peninsula!
Anxious to “clean up” your ancestors’ graves and don’t know how? Thank you for looking before you leap!
Just interested in old cemeteries and want to know more? You are not alone and in great company…
... And this workshop is for you!
In this introductory session, GHS Board Member and Cemetery Committee Chairperson Jennifer Stucker will discuss and demonstrate the best techniques for documenting, cleaning, and preserving historic gravestones. Using Bunker Memorial Cemetery in South Gouldsboro as a lab, she will also address current controversies and topics of concern in the field of historic cemetery preservation. This will be a hands-on workshop and participants will have a chance to apply what they learn using tools and materials provided by the instructor.
Cemetery Preservation 101 is offered periodically, based on interest. Let us know using the “Pre-Register” contact box below if you would like to attend and we’ll let you know when the next session is scheduled.
About the Instructor
Jennifer Stucker
Jennifer took on her first historic cemetery preservation project when she was 14. Decades later, along with volunteers from Seaside Grange, she began the restoration of the abandoned Mill Pond Cemetery in Corea, receiving awards from both the Association for Gravestone Studies as well as the Maine Old Cemetery Association in recognition of their outstanding work in the field of Cemetery Preservation. She has worked with numerous professional conservators across the U. S. for more than a decade, spending 100’s of hours to develop her skills to restore and preserve gravestones in Maine’s historic cemeteries and earning the title “The Lichen Lady.”
What to Bring?
- Dress in clothing suitable for a day outside in damp grass. Layers are good, sandals are not recommended
- Water to drink – we’ll provide water for cleaning stones
- A folding chair or stool if you are not able to stand for 4 hours. Cemeteries are generally short on seating
- Work gloves if you are serious about the hands-on part
- Pencil and paper if you are the note-taking sort
- Camera or phone with a camera if you are the picture-taking sort
- Hat
- Bug repellent
When? A date to be announced
Where? Bunker Memorial Cemetery (aka South Gouldsboro Cemetery — See Map)
How Much? Free for GHS members, $5 for non-members, payable when you arrive
Who? All are welcome, but class size is limited to 20 — Pre-register below: