Gravestone Preservation & Restoration Information
to Help Promote Restoring Historic Cemeteries
 |
Upcoming Events2009 Gravestone Preservation Workshop Mission I am quickly tiring of all that snow and ice outdoors, and really looking forward to some warm weather to return! I wonder if I am the only one? For the current year of 2009, I am planning for another highly productive and largely educationally focused schedule. My most exciting adventure plans will include a cross- country gravestone preservation training tour for most of the summer months. I have many events in the early planning stages, and will be posting them as they are hammered out in stone, so to speak. The regions to be traversed consist of the upper half of the entire United States, primarily west of the Mississippi. A workshop may also take place in Canada. Training workshop events are already likely in many states including: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, South Dakota, Montana, among others. As the locations and dates are still being planned, I would be happy to discuss adding workshop events, in these or other regions. Due to the economic conditions currently existing throughout America, very limited, city, state, or federal funding is available. Many non-profits have also fallen on hard times. It is therefore my mission and intent to offer these workshops at a very reasonable rate, enough funds can be generated to hold a workshop, by those attending each event, paying a modest fee. In other words: workshops, by the people, for the people. I will also be collaborating with many of the same organizations, which I worked with last year, and also including some new venues. It is very likely I will be heading back out west, to the Southwest in the fall season when the weather cools off a bit. I have interested towns and cemeteries already in Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making many new ones throughout 2009. Regards, Jonathan Appell February 3, 2009 May 2, 2009, Saturday: Gravestone Preservation Workshop Woodlawn Cemetery will be hosting a one-day, hands-on workshop in gravestone preservation. On Saturday, May 2, 2009 Mr. Jonathan Appell will be showing how to repair old gravestones, slow or reverse weather-related deterioration, and stabilize stones, which have begun to lose their integrity. Woodlawn is located in Fairmont, West Virginia in one of the older neighborhoods. Men and women significant to the history of the state and the nation are buried here. Among them is Francis Harrison Pierpont, considered the father of West Virginia, Arteus Brooks Fleming, 8th governor, and Matthew Mansfield Neely, governor, Congressman and Senator, the first three state superintendent of schools, over 100 Civil War veterans, both Union and Confederate, as well as judges, lawyers, merchants, and just plain folks. The cemetery is 42 acres and over 15,000 graves and is an active burying ground. The cemetery is 186 years old, and has examples of stones in a variety of listing, sinking and disrepair. There is also an area in which African-American gravestones are in very poor condition. Appell will use these stones to demonstrate various techniques and products to help restore and maintain these stones. Fairmont is in north central West Virginia, about 11/2 hours south-southeast of Pittsburgh, Pa. and about 4 hours from Washington, D.C. If you are interested in attending the workshop, or have any questions, please contact Gena Wagaman, superintendent: 304-657-1813 or send an email to gwagaman@verizon.net. May 13 - May 16 Wednesday- Saturday: National Genealogical
Conference May 23 - May 24 Saturday & Sunday: Preservation of
Stone Sculpture & Gravestones June 25 - June 26 Thursday & Friday The Association
for Gravestone Studies Annual Conference Basic & Advanced Gravestone Conservation Workshops: http://www.gravestonestudies.org/ July 8 - July 10 Wednesday- Friday: Basic Gravestone Preservation July 13- July 16 Monday- Thursday: Advanced Gravestone
Preservation August 20 - August 22 Thursday- Saturday: Gravestone Preservation
Workshop: Snow’s College Traditional Building Program: August 25- August 29 Wednesday- Sunday: IPTW- International
Preservation Trades Workshop September 26- September 27 Saturday & Sunday: Preservation
of Stone Sculpture & Gravestones |
|