Historic preservation of gravestones adheres to the best practices and conservation standards of "do no harm" first and foremost.
The following documents are provided as resources for cemeteries and individuals who wish to preserve and conserve gravestones properly.
Many techniques found on the internet do not provide accurate or correct methods in which to preserve and conserve our historic gravestones or cemeteries. In fact, a lot of what you will find causes more harm.
Caring for Historic Cemeteries
The first step in all preservation efforts is documentation. The following are forms you can use or reference for survey work. All forms are provided by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT).
Preservation Briefs - Preserving Grave markers in Historic Cemeteries 2016
Mapping is essential in cemetery preservation. There are many free mapping websites you can find. We make no recommendations on any particular program.
NCPTT Basics for Cemetery Documentation (video)
How to map a cemetery (video)
Helpful Videos
- Cemetery Preservation (playlist)
- Instructional Videos (playlist)
- Portland Cemetery vs. Historic Gravestones (video)
Purchase
Here are two sources for cleaners and supplies that are appropriate for cleaning based on the Utah Gravestone Preservation Guide.