Welcome

Welcome to the New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association, an organization dedicated to the preservation of our state's heritage as represented by its historic graveyards and cemeteries.

Who we are: The New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association is a non-profit organization composed of genealogists, historians, cemetery officials and other interested individuals dedicated to preserving the historical graveyards of New Hampshire. Our mission is to discover, map, maintain, record and preserve our New Hampshire graveyards before they are irretrievably lost. These burial places are an integral part of our history and an invaluable resource for genealogists, historians and scholars of New Hampshire's and New England's cultural history. Our bylaws can be viewed here.

What we do: We seek to promote the knowledge of New Hampshire history by bringing together people interested in old graveyards and strive to foster an interest in the discovery, maintenance, records preservation and cataloging of graveyards and cemeteries. We meet twice each year at various locations around the state to learn what others are doing to preserve their burial sites. We publish a newsletter, New Hampshire Old Graveyard News, twice anually that keeps members up to date with the latest activities of our organization. We conduct workshops during the warmer months to educate others on how they can best preserve their local graveyards. Most recently, thanks to a generous legacy, we offer grants to help defray the costs of graveyard preservation.

The legal details: New Hampshire has numerous laws governing old cemeteries. Even a casual visitor should read the NH Laws/RSAs on Cemeteries. You can also check with town or city clerks to become familiar with any local regulations.

Our history: You can read more about the history of NHOGA.

A word about terminology: Unlike our Northern New England sister organizations, the Maine Old Cemetery Association and the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, NHOGA from its founding has been the New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association. Our founders chose the term graveyard to emphasize our particular interest in the neglected private burial grounds that are most in danger of loss. In NHOGA parlance graveyard is a synonym for family burial ground as defined in RSA 289:1.I. Although our interests encompass all historic burial locations, these small lesser known sites deserve our special attention.

Why not become one of us? Membership in NHOGA is open to anyone interested in preserving New Hampshire Graveyards. Annual membership includes a subscription to our newsletter, NH Old Graveyard News. Fill out a membership application today.

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