Warmer weather is upon us and I am sure we are all looking forward to the days when we can visit our favorite old graveyard or go exploring to discover new ones. One of the more popular questions asked either via email or FaceBook post is, “Where can I find out more information about a said old graveyard?”

While NH Old Graveyard Association is here to assist and answer those questions when we can, oftentimes, a visit to the town office, historical society, library or the cemetery department where the old graveyard is located can bring about a wealth of information and knowledge. Especially in the smaller towns, there tends to be a group of folks dedicated to maintaining their towns history and they usually are very happy to share that history. (“Grab-acup-of-coffee-and-settle-in-this-could-take-a-while,” type of sharing.)

Visits to old graveyards not only give us a “snapshot” of who lived and died in town, but takes us back through history as well. The town’s history comes alive via the names in stone and also through literature (epitaphs), art and monument/stone selection.

I recently did research for a stone in Tonry Cemetery, Brentwood NH and it involved reviewing town reports from the 1890’s to the present. It was comforting to make the connection between the names on stones in the Brentwood cemeteries and to read what role they played in the town’s history. This connection makes old graveyard preservation all that more meaningful and important.

NH Old Graveyard Association members are enthusiastic volunteers working to fulfill the association’s mission. We are stewards of our state’s rich historic resource and we share a passion for historic preservation and education while loving what we do.

It is the hope and goal to continue to promote and provide stone cleaning workshops this coming year. Our workshops are just that though – the NH Old Graveyard Association is willing to teach “best practices” to any civic and/or volunteer groups who are interested in learning and then would feel comfortable taking on the task of stone cleaning and preservation in their local old graveyards.

For those civic and/or volunteer groups who are interested in stone cleaning and would like financial assistance, please see our website for more information about the NH Old Graveyard Association’s Graveyard Preservation Grant Program.

As always, keep the wonderful posts coming on our NH Old Graveyard Association Group FB page. Share your pictures, your explorations, and your adventures. If you know someone on the FB page, consider asking them to actually become a member of NHOGA itself, dues are only $10 a year! As always more information and membership applications can be found on our website: http://www.nhoga.com. We appreciate your support.

Joyce Keegal
NHOGA President