AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Amy Barry Cemetery Program Manager Utah State Historic Preservation Office 3760 S Highland Dr Millcreek, UT 84106 amybarry@utah.gov 801-245-7247

Creating a Preservation Program: The Challenges of Engaging the Public

In the absence of any organized, skilled effort to further preservation people seek information in accessible places. The public generally have no method in which to gauge its value or acceptability. Cemetery conservation has been a growing field of interest for people that has resulted in many incorrect and damaging practices in the effort to conserve. Consequently, well-intentioned people have attempted repairs on historic stones that have caused more harm than good. Often when conservators speak of cultural heritage they are focused on work held in a museum or other venue with a custodial presence. This view completely ignores the heritage, artwork, and history found in cemeteries.

Research and laboratory testing for stone conservation, specifically for headstones has been driven by work done on east coast and southern states. It has yielded knowledge on the best practices going forward and the products that will not cause harm to the stones. Yet, this knowledge is not readily accessible or passed down to the public level in a way that the can discern what is correct. This knowledge gap in headstone conservation was the catalyst to create a preservation effort within the Utah Cemetery Program. The program specifically works to educate and connect the public with this knowledge and hands-on practice.

In my proposed presentation, I will talk about the creation of the preservation program for cemeteries and how it interacts with the general public, interested organizations, cemetery personnel and other practitioners. I will discuss the challenges of communicating the art and science of conservation with the public as we work to preserve the cultural heritage of our ancestors.