The Clay County Genealogical Society located in Center Point will be hosting a Genealogy Scrapbooking Event on Monday, July 24th from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The doors will open at 5:30 for participants to claim a space and set up their supplies before 6:00.
This would be an excellent opportunity to find additional genealogical information at the library about your ancestors to include in your scrapbooking. A Cricut, several cartridges, and supplies will be available for use by participants. Tammy Bond from ‘Scrappys’ at A Bushel and A Peck located at 10 W. National Ave in Brazil will have genealogy scrapbooking paper and other items available for sale.
Tammy and several genealogy library volunteers will be displaying examples of genealogy scrapbook pages and present ideas for combining genealogy and scrapbooking. Copies of genealogy information from the library files will be available for fifteen cents per page.
There will be a fee of $3.00 to attend the workshop. Food and drinks are not allowed in the library; however, bottled water will be provided to participants. Bring your scrapbooking tools, pictures, and other genealogy information that you wish to use during the event.
If you are interested in attending, please call the library at 812-835-5005 on Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Space is limited to 14 participants. Registration is not required; however, you cannot be guaranteed a spot without calling in advance.
The September 10th Center Point Cemetery Restoration Workshop was made possible through a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The workshop was a success due to the volunteers, participants, speakers, Boy Scouts, community members, and businesses that donated items or gave the society discounts on their merchandise.
On September 3rd, the Saturday prior to the workshop, a group of Boy Scouts from Troops 101 and 95 worked in the historic section of the Center Point Cemetery cleaning up around the stones in preparation for the workshop. The workers pruned trees, removed yucca plants, and filled a large dumpster with limbs, weeds, vines, and other plant materials. They also cleaned along the north edge of the cemetery making it possible to mow around the stones that were near the edge of the woods.
On the day of the workshop the guest speaker, Jeannie REGAN-DINIUS of the Indiana Department of National Resources, explained the Indiana codes relating to county cemeteries, responsibilities of local officials, and how to obtain permits to probe for stones covered with soil. She also gave a presentation about SHAARD, the Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database of the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA), which allows users to search information on known historic resources throughout Indiana. SHAARD includes data concerning the Indiana Cemetery and Burial Ground Registry, historic bridges, properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, properties listed in the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures, and historic theaters in Indiana. To learn more about SHAARD, go to http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/4505.htm
During the workshop instructors Wayne LANGMAN and Jeff DICKERSON discussed their handout, which included information about tools and products to use for cleaning, resetting, and repairing damaged and broken stones. The handout gave step-by-step information and included helpful photographs. After the morning classroom instruction and lunch, the group planned on going to the historic section of the Center Point Cemetery for hands-on work cleaning, resetting, and repairing broken stones.
However, the morning rain continued into the afternoon; therefore, Wayne and Jeff improvised by bringing in a broken stone, which was repaired “on site.” They demonstrated the proper method for mixing the epoxy and showed techniques for holding the pieces together while the epoxy dried. Boy Scouts handed out spray bottles, goggles, and small brushes to be used by the participants when cleaning cemetery stones.
Since the afternoon session was rained out, a make-up workday was held on October 8th. Even though only a few of those in attendance at the workshop were able to return for the make-up workshop, many leaning stones were re-positioned, a few stones were reattached to their bases, one stone was repaired and reset, and one stone was recovered from a prone position in the grass, cleaned, and reset on its base. Boy Scouts helped deliver rock and dirt in the wheelbarrow to those resetting stones. They and their parents also cleaned several stones and hauled away debris.
As a result of the workshop, the appearance of the historic section of the Center Point Cemetery is much improved. Vines, weeds, yucca plants, and other debris were removed from around the stones. Several leaning stones are now standing perpendicular, and some stones have been repaired and reset on existing or new bases.
To download a copy of the “Cleaning & Restoration of Gravestones” pamphlet created for the workshop, click the link below, and a copy will be sent to your Downloads folder.
Cemetery Restoration Workshop at Center Point Saturday, September 10, 2016 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration Fee of $15.00
The Clay County Genealogical Society, Inc. has received a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Monies from the grant will be used to hold a one-day Cemetery Restoration Workshop on Saturday, September 10, in Center Point from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The morning session will be held in the Clay County Genealogy Library at 309 Main Street and will include information from Jeannie Regan-Dinius of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, who will explain the Indiana Codes relating to county cemeteries and the responsibilities of local officials. Her presentation will be followed by instructions on cleaning and repairing cemetery stones by Wayne Langman and Jeff Dickerson.
The afternoon portion of the workshop will be spent cleaning and repairing stones in the historical section of the Center Point Cemetery at the north edge of town. You may wish to wear or bring work gloves, a hat, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes. Water will be provided at the cemetery.
