Cemetery Restoration – by Dirk Siedlecki

Dirk Siedlecki with a discovered piece of cradle marker

By Dirk Seidlecki, President FOJHC

The Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery recently contracted with The Oregon Granite Company to provide restoration services for a number of memorial markers in the cemetery. Since 2006, 52 markers have been restored. Company owner Jim Westerfield and his staff are very familiar with the Jacksonville Cemetery and sensitive to its historic treasures.

The latest restoration contract work includes 15 markers in the City and IOOF sections of the cemetery. A number of factors go into deciding which markers should be worked on first, with safety topping the list. Markers that are leaning or have loose decorative pieces are then given priority. To keep costs down, we concentrate on one area at a time, allowing Oregon Granite workers to setup their equipment and work on several markers at one time in one place.

Work began on July 7 by digging up a couple of headstones that have been flat and buried in the ground for many years. Workers also uncovered sandstone curbing surrounding a grave site and at another, discovered a beautiful infant’s cradle-style marker with detailed carvings. Both had sunken and were buried under several inches of soil. Oregon Granite took 5 of the markers back to their Medford shop where repairs can be accomplished more easily. It is anticipated that work will be completed by the end of August.

While Oregon Granite works on the larger and more detailed restoration work, trained volunteers  work on smaller projects. To date, 125 markers have been restored by volunteers. Additionally, three sets of iron fencing have been restored by professionals with some volunteer assistance, in an effort to keep costs down. We have also started to place markers and pieces of markers that had been

L to R: Dirk Siedlecki, Lee Siedlecki, Jon Caster, Richard Shields, Cemetery Sexton, and Jim Westerfield

stored for safe keeping in the Sexton’s Tool House and the Maintenance Shop. Thankfully, by looking at some older photos, we were able to match up the top part of a broken monument with the bottom half and restore it to one piece.

None of this work would have been possible without the support from community and the families of those resting in Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery. We also wish to acknowledge and thank the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries for two Grants that we received. One allowed us to train our volunteer work force in monument repair and cleaning, and the other to restore the iron fence and gate around the Kahler Family Block. The FOJHC thanks all who have made donations, volunteered at one of our clean-up days and attended one of our fund raising events.

Leveling a large marker

To make a donation and help us continue our restoration and preservation work, please send a check to: FOJHC P.O. Box 1541, Jacksonville, OR 97530. All donations are tax deductible. Another way to support us is by attending this year’s production of Meet the Pioneers on Friday, October 14 or Saturday, October 15. See the advertisement in this newspaper for additional details or visit our web site at www.friendsjvillecemetery.org