Before and After: Cemetery Restoration in Northeast Ohio

For centuries, cemeteries have been the place to honor lost loved ones, remember the history of a town and quietly reflect.  

Over time, however, the natural wear of regular visitors, years of weather conditions, and (in some cases) lack of resources to maintain the grounds, can lead to a need for cemetery restoration services.  

This was the case for Newbury Township’s four local cemeteries: Munn Cemetery, Newbury Center Cemetery, South Newbury Cemetery and Morton Cemetery. Continue reading to learn how our sister company, Milano Stone & Restoration, spearheaded a multi-phased restoration project for Newbury Township.  

What Is Cemetery Restoration?  

Cemetery restoration services can include a number of different activities and often vary by project. At Milano Stone & Restoration, we regularly offer the following cemetery restoration services:  

• Cleaning headstones.  
• Realigning headstone rows.  
• Fixing broken monuments and memorials.  
• Re-doing or resetting headstone foundations.
• Digging graves.  
• Re-leveling the graves. 
• Cemetery landscape.  
• Relocation and removal of monuments and statues.  
  

The Newbury Township collection of cemeteries primarily required pouring new foundations, fixing broken headstones and resetting tipping memorials. All of these activities were uncovered during an initial walk-through and audit of the cemeteries.  

>> Related Resource: The Cemetery Restoration Process, Step-by-Step 

Assessing Cemetery Restoration Needs   

Full-scale cemetery restoration projects are often large investments that cities, communities and private entities must budget for. Depending on the amount of cemeteries and size of each involved, there could be a number of restoration activities required for the project, totaling anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000.   

To assess all of Newbury Township’s cemetery restoration needs, Milano Stone & Restoration met on-site with a township trustee. The team assessed all four cemeteries, documenting any apparent issues, including broken headstones, tipping headstones, failing foundations and overgrown landscaping.  

Once the audit was complete, the Stone & Restoration team worked with Newbury Township to strategically plan the work that needed done, given the township’s budget and priorities. The initial audit and conversations led to a phased restoration approach.  

>> Related Resource: Why You Should Invest in Cemetery Restoration 

Completing Cemetery Restoration in Phases    

In the first several phases of restoration work, Milano Stone & Restoration focused on pulling out and replacing failed monument foundations, fixing broken bases, reinstalling 19th century marble stones and resetting tablets on sandstone bases. The township’s active cemeteries were prioritized first, as they still had frequent visitors and new headstones installed.  

Each year, Milano Stone & Restoration rotated to a new cemetery so that each of Newbury Township’s four cemeteries were gradually improved. The final phases of the project focused on adding new foundations, releveling, and reattaching pieces of older monuments and headstones. 

Restoring Newbury Township’s cemeteries in phases enabled the township and Milano Stone & Restoration to:  

• Prioritize the active cemeteries and projects that required the most important restorations. 
• Find and secure the budget for cemetery restoration each year, rather than all at once.  
• Show the rest of the city the progress that was being made, ultimately garnering support for future restoration work.  
• Get work done in the warm seasons of the year. While some restoration work can be done in the winter, tasks like digging and pouring new foundations must happen when the ground is thawed.  

After ten phases, Newbury Township’s cemeteries look as they did when the headstones were orginally placed. All monuments are also properly upright, safe and secure for the next 100 years, ultimately reducing the risk of unexpected injuries. 

>> Related Resource: How Cemetery Restoration Services Revived a Mid-1700s Cemetery to Near-Original Condition 

The Benefits of Working With a National Cemetery Restoration Provider Near You 

There are a number of benefits when working with a national cemetery restoration provider , like Milano Stone & Restoration, right in your own backyard. Here are some of them.  

• Local cemetery restoration specialists can travel to the cemetery to conduct an on-site evaluation of the headstones and grounds.  
• Cemetery restoration work can often be completed in a timely manner.  
• The cost to complete cemetery restoration services is typically lower, compared to an out-of-state provider. 
• Experienced cemetery restoration providers can use their own commercial equipment and/or take memorials back to their nearby manufacturing facility to complete the work.   

>> Related Resource: 4 Factors to Look For in a Northeast Ohio Cemetery Restoration Service Provider 

Restore Your Cemetery With Cemetery Restoration Services  

Milano Stone & Restoration has over 50 years of experience in stoneworking and memorial restoration and cleaning. We are one of the few stonework providers in Ohio that offer full cemetery restoration services and have worked with a variety of cemeteries and community parks to restore their headstones and monuments back to near-original condition. Take the first step to restore your community’s cemetery by contacting our team today.