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Newcastle Coal Miners' Cemetery

Weathering, vandalism & maintenance: Part V

Share Weather, vandalism and maintenance are the three biggest challenges facing old Pacific Northwest cemeteries. Unlike the granite headstones that are seemingly impervious to practically anything except an earthquake, sandstone carvings do not endure rainy winter seasons very well. In many cases, intricate carvings are melting away while marble is only slightly better at handling industrious molds and […]

32 Degree Mason, Lakeview Cemetery

Carvings and symbols: Part IV

Share Names and dates are important facts for any researcher but on a headstone, the variety of carvings and symbols can build out a more complete story. Double-headed eagles… Knights in weathered armor… …olive branches and oak leaves, scallops and axes. All of these are mysterious symbols to visitors unfamiliar with the metaphors. During the late […]

The stones share a few secrets - Part III

The stones share a few secrets – Part III

Share Cemeteries attract all sorts of visitors, although some are more surprising than others. The same can be said about old tombstones. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, something new comes along.  In King County, it’s common to see a nod to both the rustic pioneer and classic Victorian. (See The Secret Garden  for a traditional English Victorian  […]

Six cemeteries in the spotlight - Part II

Six cemeteries in the spotlight – Part II

Share Any cemetery enthusiast will readily agree that highlighting just a few cemeteries out of so many can be an almost impossible task. And while only six King County cemeteries could be chosen for the indepth Stones & Bones articles, several other fascinating places will be highlighted when symbols, inscriptions and unique stones are discussed.   #1: Woodinville Mead […]

Newcastle Coal Miners' Cemetery

Discovering secrets in King County’s old cemeteries

Share Cemetery issues shot to the forefront of American consciousness when headlines broke the Burr Oaks scandal this past summer. Body dumping and plot re-sales for extra cash shocked locals and veteran police officials alike who were at a loss to fathom how all this could have happened without anyone noticing. More shocking was the […]

Auburn Pioneer Cemetery

Vandalism…

Share The Pacific Northwest is not known for its kind winter weather and cemetery headstones are all too familiar with its vagaries. Weeks of rain, floods, high winds reaching up to 90 mph in some years, even snow. Any headstone not made out of granite can expect to be worn down rather quickly and certainly […]

Willis (before cleaning)

Wash a stone, restore some history

Share One of the biggest challenges facing cemeteries today is how to properly clean and restore old headstones to their original beauty. Recommendations can run the gamut from, “Give them a good bleaching,” to wire brushing. Others simply aren’t sure, preferring to leave the stones as they are rather than run the risk of further […]

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