This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------29142AAB1951A9E29DFFA5FF Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thought this was interesting so passed it on.Delete if not interested Carol > WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO WHEN WORKING IN A CEMETERY > > by Jeanne Robinson, Executive Director > Oregon Historic Cemeteries Association > [email protected] > > Historic cemeteries are in need of care, but there are many > well-meaning folks who actually harm them. Here are a few hints > to assure your visit to a cemetery will result in something > positive. > > Old marble gravestones and wooden grave markers are very > fragile. Do not lean on them or treat them roughly. Be careful > with weed whips around the stones (concrete bases are much > tougher). If necessary, hand-trim any weeds. > > Lawnmowers should never be run over a gravestone. Take care when > mowing near markers, fencing, or curbing. Bumpers made of old > tires on your mower will help prevent scraping. > > Cleaning of marble gravestones is NOT recommended. Even the most > gentle cleaning methods (clear water and soft bristle brushes) > will remove particles of stone. Never use bleach or wire brushes > on ANY stone. NEVER power-wash or sandblast a grave marker of > any kind. > > Please do not smoke in the cemetery. There are no ashtrays, and > a stray spark could start a fire in dry grasses and weeds. Many > old cemeteries were totally obliterated when fire swept away all > of the old wooden markers. > > Please do not move or remove any metal funeral home markers -- > even if they can't be read. They mark a grave. The same is true > of fragments of gravestones or even what appear to be stray > rocks. If you must move for mowing or weeding, please return > them to the exact spot from which they came. > > Before you remove or mow plants try to identify them. Lilacs, > roses, iris, and other flowers, trees, and shrubs may be antique > specimens planted by pioneers. It is OK to remove trees if they > pose a threat of getting big and harming nearby gravestones. > > Herbicides may be used in cemeteries, but be careful not to > spray on the markers. Protect them from over-spray with garbage > bags or dry cleaner bags. > > In most Oregon cemeteries [and elsewhere in the United States] > you will find examples of four common types of grave markers. > The following will help you identify each: > > Granite Gravestones: Granite is a very strong mineral used to > identify graves since about the turn of the [20th] century when > stone carvers developed tools to carve the lettering. It holds > a polish well and generally will have multi-colored grains. > > Marble Gravestones: Marble was used for most early grave markers > in Oregon [and in many other parts of the United States]. It is > generally white or blue-gray and often shows veining. Because it > is a soft mineral, early stone carvers often included beautiful > artwork on their marble grave monuments. > > White Bronze Markers: These monuments look to be a gray-green > color and often surprise folks when they realize they are metal > (zinc). If you are in doubt about whether you are looking at a > metal marker, tap it lightly. White bronze monuments are hollow. > > Wooden Markers: Early pioneers and settlers sometimes marked > graves with wooden crosses or slabs. Some contemporary graves > are also marked this way. Old wooden markers are hard to find > and harder to read. > > [This article first appeared in the OHCA LEDGER, Volume 9, Issue > 1 (June 2000) and is reprinted here with its kind permission and > that of the author. OHCA LEDGER is a publication of the Oregon > Historic Cemeteries Association, Inc., which is a nonprofit > corporation formed to educate the public about our cemeteries, > to build and maintain appropriate databases, and to protect our > cemeteries and their records.] --------------29142AAB1951A9E29DFFA5FF Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <[email protected]> Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com ([63.92.80.123]) by orion.ckt.net (Post.Office MTA v3.5.3 release 223 ID# 0-64901U6500L650S0V35) with ESMTP id net for <[email protected]>; Sun, 18 Jun 2000 22:09:25 -0500 Received: (from [email protected]) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.10.1/8.10.1) id e5J36nh05116; Sun, 18 Jun 2000 20:06:49 -0700 Resent-Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 20:06:49 -0700 X-Original-Sender: [email protected] Sun Jun 18 20:06:44 2000 From: [email protected] Message-ID: <[email protected]> Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 23:05:39 EDT Old-To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 108 Subject: [GARRISON] The Do's and Do Not's When Working In A Cemetery Resent-Message-ID: <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Resent-From: [email protected] X-Mailing-List: <[email protected]> archive/latest/951 X-Loop: [email protected] Precedence: list Resent-Sender: [email protected] X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO WHEN WORKING IN A CEMETERY by Jeanne Robinson, Executive Director Oregon Historic Cemeteries Association [email protected] Historic cemeteries are in need of care, but there are many well-meaning folks who actually harm them. Here are a few hints to assure your visit to a cemetery will result in something positive. Old marble gravestones and wooden grave markers are very fragile. Do not lean on them or treat them roughly. Be careful with weed whips around the stones (concrete bases are much tougher). If necessary, hand-trim any weeds. Lawnmowers should never be run over a gravestone. Take care when mowing near markers, fencing, or curbing. Bumpers made of old tires on your mower will help prevent scraping. Cleaning of marble gravestones is NOT recommended. Even the most gentle cleaning methods (clear water and soft bristle brushes) will remove particles of stone. Never use bleach or wire brushes on ANY stone. NEVER power-wash or sandblast a grave marker of any kind. Please do not smoke in the cemetery. There are no ashtrays, and a stray spark could start a fire in dry grasses and weeds. Many old cemeteries were totally obliterated when fire swept away all of the old wooden markers. Please do not move or remove any metal funeral home markers -- even if they can't be read. They mark a grave. The same is true of fragments of gravestones or even what appear to be stray rocks. If you must move for mowing or weeding, please return them to the exact spot from which they came. Before you remove or mow plants try to identify them. Lilacs, roses, iris, and other flowers, trees, and shrubs may be antique specimens planted by pioneers. It is OK to remove trees if they pose a threat of getting big and harming nearby gravestones. Herbicides may be used in cemeteries, but be careful not to spray on the markers. Protect them from over-spray with garbage bags or dry cleaner bags. In most Oregon cemeteries [and elsewhere in the United States] you will find examples of four common types of grave markers. The following will help you identify each: Granite Gravestones: Granite is a very strong mineral used to identify graves since about the turn of the [20th] century when stone carvers developed tools to carve the lettering. It holds a polish well and generally will have multi-colored grains. Marble Gravestones: Marble was used for most early grave markers in Oregon [and in many other parts of the United States]. It is generally white or blue-gray and often shows veining. Because it is a soft mineral, early stone carvers often included beautiful artwork on their marble grave monuments. White Bronze Markers: These monuments look to be a gray-green color and often surprise folks when they realize they are metal (zinc). If you are in doubt about whether you are looking at a metal marker, tap it lightly. White bronze monuments are hollow. Wooden Markers: Early pioneers and settlers sometimes marked graves with wooden crosses or slabs. Some contemporary graves are also marked this way. Old wooden markers are hard to find and harder to read. [This article first appeared in the OHCA LEDGER, Volume 9, Issue 1 (June 2000) and is reprinted here with its kind permission and that of the author. OHCA LEDGER is a publication of the Oregon Historic Cemeteries Association, Inc., which is a nonprofit corporation formed to educate the public about our cemeteries, to build and maintain appropriate databases, and to protect our cemeteries and their records.] --------------29142AAB1951A9E29DFFA5FF--