Customer Reviews

A Graveyard Preservation Primer (American Association for State and Local History)

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The Graveyard Preservation Primer is a must read for anyone interested in the reasons to save old graveyards and how to go about doing so in a respectful and historically accurate manner. Her book is well researched and well written. It is straightforward and simple enough for novices, yet has enough insightful information for even the most informed reader. Her topics range from how to organize volunteers to do gravestone and graveyard cleaning to photographic techniques to get outstanding records of the stones. Her suggestions for cleaning techniques are well researched and very sound. Overall, this is just a superb manual. A must read before any work is done on an old graveyard. It will also enhance the experience of the graveyard afficionado, by exposing them to a whole new set of ways to observe the gravestones and yard.

This is a great concise, basic book on graveyard preservation - a real "primer" indeed. Anyone interested in such work should read this through at least once before ever attempting it, then it can be a quick reference after that. Covers briefly yet thoroughly all aspects of gravesite preservation, explaining what you'll have to think about even if it can't give you precise instruction. Lynnette Strangstad, writing for the Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS), does a fine job and includes bibliography and even some possible contacts for proceeding on preservation.

You'd think to clean an old gravestone all you'd need is a wire brush and some bleach, right? Or maybe a sand blaster? Turns out, that couldn't be more wrong. A Graveyard Preservation Primer is the most up to date guide for those wishing to conserve the old stones in their local graveyards, without unwittingly causing more damage. Materials and techniques for safely ridding stones of lichen, molds, and just plain dirt are explained, and they turn out to be surprisingly simple. But get ready to apply some good old fashioned elbow grease. As far as conserving/repairing stones that have already incurred damage, this has now become science, and Strangstad warns that it should not be undertaken by amateurs, however well-intentioned. Suggestions for locating professional assistance are included in this comprehensive manual. Anyone interested in cemetery preservation should begin by reading this work.

If you've ever had a question about preserving a single headstones or need a complete primer to fully restore a historic graveyard, this book tells how. I admit I was unaware the "Association For Gravestone Studies" existed before reading this book, but the AGS has compliled a wealth of information and photos here. The book is concise, less than 200 pages, but proof a book doesn't need be thick and heavy as a 10 Lb. bag of kitty litter to cover a topic thoroughly. The wealth of actual grave marker photos are very interesting in themselves. Dozens of actual photos illustrate, no better way to understand how correct and incorrect methods can damage or beautifully restore 18th and 19th century headstones. For projects bigger than preserving a single headstone or family plot, information is included on everything from understanding symbolism on historic markers to acquiring funding for graveyard restoration, assessment, cleaning, landscaping, rules posting, survey forms, involving voluteers, even legislation proposal. There is also an appendix of sources to contact for Contractors, Conservators and Carvers in your area. This book is well worth the money, and will not end up in your next yard sale!

A very good primer. Would like to find a book that goes into all of the steps that need to be taken to restore a graveyard.

For a layperson who is helping a historic cemetery raise funds, this is an excellent resource. It's easy to follow and helpful for "making the case" to potential funders and local community leaders for the preservation of historic cemeteries.

The book is essential for those are considering any type of cemetery restoration or preservation. It gives good basic information and explains what some of the obstacles you may cross.

A well written book with plenty of research information to help with restoring the Seligman Arizona cemetery

My son is working on his Eagle Scout project which is to clean and restore gravestones in a local graveyard dating back to the mid 1800s. This book helped us develop a scope of the project by suggesting an approach to mapping, surveying then cleaning/restoring/resetting the gravestones. We have found no other reference like it. Dense text, would have loved a few more photos, but all in all, a great reference for an unusual project.

This provides exactly the information one needs to (a) appreciate the historical and material sensitivity of gravestones/markers; and the techniques, tools, and materials available to the interested amateur as well as professional to appropriately salvage, restore and protect these sensitive, often forgotten, resources. Especially useful for 17th-19th century graveyards and markers.