06/02/2026
It is not too late to join us at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Wilmington. Walk up are also welcomed. Historical society hosts gravestone restoration workshops
EVENT: Registration open for 2 sessions this weekend at Pleasant View Cemetery
P-R STAFF REPORT WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Historical Society will host a two-day gravestone restoration and repair workshop series.
The sessions take place Friday and Saturday at Pleasant View Cemetery, 1018 Bonnieview Road, Wilmington.
The community workshop series offers hands-on training in historic gravestone cleaning, repair and restoration and is open to all skill levels. The event is designed to equip community members with the practical skills needed to preserve historic burial grounds and to inspire a new generation of stewards for the region’s heritage.
The series begins Friday, June 5, with a Gravestone Cleaning class from 9 a.m. to noon, led by Cemetery Revival. Participants will learn gentle, historically appropriate methods for safely cleaning aged stones without damaging delicate lettering or carved detail.
Registration requires a $20 donation.
Saturday, June 6, features a full-day Stone Repair and Reset workshop from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., lead by Gravestone Guardians, Inc. and Cemetery Revival. Attendees will gain direct, hands-on experience repairing and re-setting historic gravestones.
Lunch, catered by Little Supermarket, is included and served from 11 a.m. to noon.
Registration requires a $50 donation.
“We hope to honor our ancestors and preserve their history by teaching others who hopefully carry on with this important work,” Guy Stephenson, Wilmington Historical Society member and former trustee, said in a press release.
Organizers recommend participants be at least eight years of age.
The work involves bending and kneeling but no heavy lifting. Attendees are encouraged to bring a kneeling pad, folding chair, outdoor clothing, sunscreen, a hat, gloves, water, snacks and sensible shoes.
Should inclement weather interfere, both classes will be rescheduled to the rain date of Sunday, June 7.
The workshop series is dedicated to the memory of Patrick F. McIntyre, a Wilmington resident, longtime historical society member and devoted supporter of local cemetery care and restoration.
Partial funding is provided by the Wilmington Historical Society’s Patrick F. McIntyre Memorial Cemetery Restoration Fund and by the by the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant with funding provided by Essex County.
Participants may register for one or both sessions. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.
To register, visit wilmingtonhistoricalsociety. org/gravestone-restoration- repair-classes. For questions, email [email protected].
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