Cemetery Preservation Workshop – Newport, RI

Join us at Island Cemetery in Newport, RI on Thursday August 15th, 2024!

All 48 State Tour events are 100% FREE & OPEN to the public!

9am-3pm (local time)

• Participate in gravestone cleaning and learn the most common safe & effective repair techniques!
• A discussion on historic preservation will begin the day with a short walk and talk tour, visually surveying some of the most historic gravestones and monuments in need of repair.
• Safe & effective removal of biological activity w/ approved stone cleaners & graffiti removal + prevention. HANDS ON! Adopt a stone and perform the cleaning process yourself.
• The most common repair techniques will be discussed and performed including resetting a badly leaning or sunken tablet stone and joining broken gravestone fragments using epoxy, clamps, and bracing techniques.
• *If time allows* we will employ an overhead, lifting tripod and demonstrate how to rig and lift monuments safely.
• *If time allows* we will review materials required and the process involved in replacing eroded or lost stone with the use of a stone infill material, including preparation, application and curing of mortars.

We’re excited to welcome Tracy Mahaffey to perform a live stone carving demo around 11:30am in MA and RI!