Thank you and our sincere gratitude to all our volunteers who contributed 140 hours of volunteer labor in the month of July 2022. The hours include: cemetery fixture restoration, marker cleaning, conducting tours, and general cleanup and maintenance items. Add to this number the many hours contributed by our Adopt-A-Block workforce who do so much to keep the grounds tidy and safe.

Also, much appreciation to John McGlothlin, Kurt Elliott and John Elliot for their amazing work on the White monument in the Masonic section of the cemetery. A couple of years ago, we came across three, two large and one small, pieces of a marble column. They were found on the floor in the back of a cabinet in the Sexton’s Tool House. After some searching, we found the monument where the pieces belonged. The crew leveled the base of the monument and then drilled and pinned the pieces of the column back together, making the monument almost whole again. I say “almost” as the very top piece, a finial of some sort, was never located. Thank you all for a job well done.

History Saturday in the Cemetery, Saturday, September 10, Talk/Tour begins at 10:00am—Our final History Saturday program for this year promises to be an entertaining and interesting one called, “The Real Housewives of Victorian Jacksonville.” The program is free of charge and there are no advance reservations required. Meet your docents at the top of the Cemetery Road where you will find parking available. May we suggest comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, and a hat. See our website at friendsjvillecemetery.org for complete details. Donations are always appreciated and help to support our educational programs and work in the cemetery.

Marker Cleaning Workshop, Saturday, September 17, 9am-12noon—This will also be our final marker cleaning workshop of the year as the weather starts to turn cooler. Join our group of dedicated volunteers and learn how to safely clean and preserve the beautiful headstones and monuments in our cemetery. All the necessary tools and instructions will be provided. Meet at the Sexton’s Tool House at the top of the Cemetery Road. Dress for the project and we suggest a hat, sunscreen and perhaps a stool to sit on. Check our website at friendsjvillecemetery.org for complete details

Meet the Pioneers Living History Tours return to the Jacksonville Cemetery on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8—We have another great line-up of stories to share with you this year. Learn about Oregon’s wait to become a state in 1859, and about Jacksonville’s new fire engine that was almost lost at sea, meet Jacksonville’s Love family, and hear about a son’s promise to his parents that took forty years to keep and so much more. Guided tours will depart starting at 4pm and then every 15 minutes until the last tour departs at 6:30pm. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 and will be available on our website at friendsjvillecemetery.org or at our ticket booth next to the Jacksonville Post Office and Visitors Center or by calling 541-826-9939.

Our Ticket Booth will be open from 10am until 1pm on the following dates: September 7, 8, 9, 10, September 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and October 1. The price of tickets for this year’s program are: $18 Adults, $6 Children (age 12 and under) Family $40 (up to two adults and three children) and may be purchased with cash or by check only. Checks may be made payable to the Friend of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery or simply FOJHC. This event is the only major fundraiser for the FOJHC with all profits going towards ongoing restoration work and educational programs that we offer. Thank you for attending and supporting our work.

Featured image: White Monument After. Photo by John McGlothlin.