Collections Care: Historic Cemeteries

Many communities have historic cemeteries or burial grounds that the general public has forgotten or that are suffering from decades of neglect. Caring and preserving these important pieces of our shared historic landscape usually involves a dedicated, local volunteer group willing to learn and practice good care of the vegetation and grave markers, some of which might be deteriorated or broken. Tips on researching, surveying, organizing preservation efforts, burial laws, and completing the actual work are available below.

General Guidance

• Frank Matero and Judy Peters: “Survey Methodology for the Preservation of Historic Burial Grounds and Cemeteries” (2003)
• National Park Service: Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: “How to Preserve Historic Cemeteries and Burial Grounds”
• Office of the State Archaeologist of Iowa
  • “State and Federal Laws”
  • “Bioarchaeology”
  • “A Citizen’s Guide to Recording Archaeological Finds in Iowa”

Care and Preservation

• Cemetery Conservators for United Standards: Various articles on best practices for caring for and preserving cemeteries and gravestones
• Connecting to Collections Care: “Who is Taking Care of Grandma’s Grave? The Basics of Cemetery Care” Webinar (presenter: Jason Church, National Park Service)
• Gregg G. King, et. al: Michigan Historic Cemeteries Preservation Guide
• Lynette Strandstad: Graveyard Preservation Primer
• National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, National Park Service: Various articles on cemetery conservation
• State Association for the Preservation of Iowa Cemeteries
• Texas Historical Commission: “Maintenance, Conservation, and Repair”

Interpretation

• Rachel Wolgemuth: Cemetery Tours and Programming: A Guide