Gravestone Preservation Workshop w/ Ta’Mara Conde

134 Leverett Road,Shutesbury MA 01072

25 June, 2022

Description

Gravestone Preservation Workshop with Ta’Mara Conde of Historic Gravestone Services West Cemetery, Leverett Road, Shutesbury MA Saturday, June 25th, 2022 Care of historic gravestones requires more than a shovel and a desire. However, with proper instruction, a small group of volunteers can accomplish great things. Each participant will learn how to document gravestones according to standards for historical and preservation purposes, including photography techniques for gravestones. Discussions will cover safety, conservation techniques according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, condition assessment of the gravestone, vegetation, landscaping, fencing, geology and history of cemeteries in America. All participants should dress for work, including work gloves, for the hands-on portion of the workshop. Teams will form to work on stones pre-selected and approved for treatment. Beginning with documentation, condition assessment and photography, each stone will then be cleaned and reset. As individuals repeat the process working to conserve the gravestones, they will be able to explore different situations and learn the proper approach to the solution. Learning through doing, the group of volunteers will become a well-trained team by the end of the day and many stones will have been preserved. Historic Gravestone Services will provide all the tools and supplies, as well as provide each participant with a preservation information packet. Volunteers should bring a packed lunch and camp chair. There is some work which requires kneeling and you may want to bring a pad or wear knee pads.