The Old Deerfield Cemetery Association spearheaded a first-ever 50/50 public-private conservation project in 2020 that involved the repair, stabilization and cleaning of some 420 historical monuments and gravestones, some as old as 220 years, at the Laurel Hill Cemetery. The Association is committed to preserving this precious resource linked to seven generations of the Town’s impactful families and to providing learning, interpretation and reflection opportunities for future generations. Please see below photo and video documentation of this latest successful conservation project at Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Moving forward, the Old Deerfield Cemetery Association will continue to invest in additional monument/gravestone cleaning leveraging trained volunteers who prepare stones and apply cleaning solution. As needed, stones that crack or break will be promptly repaired, and periodically, previously-conserved stones will require follow-up cleaning. The Association will also continue to invest in tree and shrub maintenance to ensure historical monuments and gravestones are not damaged by falling limbs and encroaching over-growth.
The Association seeks continued financial and volunteer support from individuals, family associations and for-profit and non-profit organizations to continue preserving this unique historical resource for future generations of local residents and visitors from across the United States and from around the world.
View before and after photos of historical gravestone conservation.
Gravestone Services of New England discusses 2014 conservation work in Deerfield, MA