Historic Cemetery Care & Aid Program - DCHS

Many of the oldest stones most in need of care are people who died with no descendants or estates to care for their graves – like young men killed in military service or children who died of illness.

Please consider a donation today to help us build our Cemetery Care & Aid Program.

We are establishing a new Cemetery Care & Aid Program to support Douglas County’s cemeteries through different initiatives and programs – including volunteer projects with local groups, a workshop visit from the 48 State Tour, and a visit from Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps.

But we need your help. 

We need to raise $16,000 to cover materials and related costs for restoration & repair work this summer. Any amount raised in excess will be rolled over into future Cemetery Projects in 2023 and beyond.

Once the weather cooperates, DCHS will lead volunteer groups on clean up and repair projects at local cemeteries. If you or your group are interested in taking on one of these projects, please email the DCHS Volunteer Coordinator Liz Paul at Liz.Paul@dchsmn.org or call DCHS at 320-762-0382.

DCHS reached out to The 48 State Tour, a national tour of cemetery preservation workshops led by Jonathan Appell. We  told their team about the vandalism and asked if they could help - and they put Kinkead Cemetery on the route as their Minnesota location for this year's tour. Please join DCHS and The 48 State Tour for a FREE Cemetery Restoration & Repair Workshop on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at 9am at Kinkead Cemetery. 

In August, Kinkead Cemetery will also be visited by the Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps. NBHPC has visited our neighbors at the Pope County Historical Society in previous years to complete cemetery restoration projects and lead public workshops. Our goal is to also arrange a free public cemetery preservation workshop with NBHPC in August.

Thank you!