Cemetery Preservation Workshop

Spring Valley Cemetery, Lawrence (Indianapolis)
Instructors: John “Walt” Walters, Jeannie Regan-Dinius, Vincent T. Hernly and Sheila Riley
Cost: $30, $25 IHS members, $22.50 Local History Partners (includes lunch during full day)

Meets AASLH StEPs Standard HSL 5

There are no state laws that describe the techniques for preservation of cemeteries and gravestones, but there are best practices and standards to meet to assure that you are preserving the site in a way that will not eventually lead to damage. Each year the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology co-sponsors with the Indiana Historical Society a series of workshops to teach the skills needed in cemetery preservation.

Who should attend?
Anyone interested in caring for a cemetery. Whether you are doing the work yourself or working with a group to see that a cultural site is maintained and preserved. Members of the community interested in the personal and historical significance of cemeteries will have the opportunity to learn about and maintain. First-timers as well as those with previous experience can gain hands-on experience in keeping history.

Workshop I is a two-day workshop offered every spring. Topics include Indiana cemetery laws, stone types, symbolism, stone cleaning, tablet straightening, probing instructions, and cemetery maintenance. This workshop is a combination of classroom lectures, in-the-field and hands-on work. The 2014 workshop is tentatively scheduled for May 30-31. Attendance to both days of the workshop is required to apply for a probing license.

Workshop II Workshop II (Workshop I or equivalent training is required before attending this workshop) Workshop II is a one-day session which focuses on advanced cemetery preservation techniques, including fixing breaks, resetting obelisks, and how to mix stone dust to fill in cracks. The entire workshop will be spent in the cemetery, where participants will gain more hands-on experience repairing stones. The 2014 workshop is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 22-23. Please check back for registration information.

These workshops are funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. 

Register at - 

https://tickets.indianahistory.org/Info.aspx?EventID=25