St. Paul's United Preservation Sign

The preservation of historic burial grounds and cemeteries must involve all components of a site from maps and written records to the landscape and the gravestones.  Three basic steps should be undertaken to prepare for preservation planning options: Data Gathering and Documentation, Site Survey and Condition Assessment, Grave Marker Inventory and Condition Assessment. Once the historic significance and condition of a site is understood and the landscape and grave marker materials and conditions are evaluated, a preservation philosophy can be considered and options for preservation prioritized into a Preservation Plan. Carrying out any preservation or conservation of headstones and memorials can cost money. Developing a preservation master plan to serve as a framework and timeline for phased preservation projects, decision making, fundraising, and appropriate historic interpretation will be a worthwhile effort. Establishing Preservation Priorities is an important method for evaluating projects and their outcome before you begin. Priority Levels are suggested for various tasks.