a group of headstones sitting in the grass

Rivers To Ridges Heritage Trail Inc

LXCL:Enjoy the full program with access to all activities lunch will be supplied both days!

General Admission Both Days!

LXCL:I can only make Friday!

Friday only!

LXCL:I can only make Saturday!

Saturday Only!

Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail Inc. and the City of Winfield are hosting a free, hands-on Historic Cemetery Preservation Workshop from November 6&ndash;7, 2026 in Winfield, WV. Led by expert cemetery conservator Joni Liston Morris, this immersive two-day event teaches you how to survey, document, and physically restore historic and neglected burial grounds using federal preservation standards. Space is strictly limited for this fully funded, public volunteer event.🛠️ What You Will Learn &amp; Do&nbsp;Bring local history back to life through interactive fieldwork. Under expert guidance, volunteers will gain practical skills using National Park Service (NPS) approved materials:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Masonry Cleaning: Use specialized D/2 Biological Solution to safely clean weathered historic stones.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Digital Mapping: Map cemetery layouts accurately using specialized mobile applications.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">State Inventorying: Complete official West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office forms.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Stone Conservation: Level, reset, and repair fallen or shifting gravestones safely.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Intervention Logging: Record structural preservation updates on standard conservation sheets.</li></ul>📅 Workshop Schedule &amp; Locations&nbsp;The workshop runs from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM both days, splitting time between classroom theory and real fieldwork.&nbsp;Day 1: Classroom &amp; Fieldwork &ndash; Friday, November 6, 2026<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Morning Session (8:30 AM &ndash; 12:30 PM): Learn about Appalachian burial customs, stone deterioration, legal codes, and digital documentation at the classroom session.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Lunch Break (12:30 PM &ndash; 1:30 PM): Midday rest.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Afternoon Fieldwork (1:30 PM &ndash; 5:30 PM): Put lessons into practice at the Winfield Cemetery on Rocky Step Road in Putnam County.</li></ul>Day 2: Full Field Day &ndash; Saturday, November 7, 2026<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Field Preservation (8:30 AM &ndash; 5:30 PM): Spend a dedicated day restoring the historic Hoge Cemetery, located directly behind the James W. Hoge House and the Putnam County Courthouse.</li></ul>🥾 Safety Guidelines &amp; Requirements&nbsp;All specialty tools, D/2 cleaner, Tampico brushes, nitrile gloves, and safety glasses are provided for free.<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Required Footwear: Closed-toed shoes or boots are mandatory to handle physical tools and stone.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Required Clothing: Durable clothing and long pants are highly recommended for field safety.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Personal Items: Bring your own work gloves, hat, water bottle, bug spray, and sunscreen.</li></ul>Note: Participants wearing sandals or open-toed shoes will be restricted to observation only for safety purposes.

Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail Inc. and the City of Winfield are hosting a free, hands-on Historic Cemetery Preservation Workshop from November 6–7, 2026 in Winfield, WV. Led by expert cemetery conservator Joni Liston Morris, this immersive two-day event teaches you how to survey, document, and physically restore historic and neglected burial grounds using federal preservation standards. Space is strictly limited for this fully funded, public volunteer event.🛠️ What You Will Learn &amp; Do Bring local history back to life through interactive fieldwork. Under expert guidance, volunteers will gain practical skills using National Park Service (NPS) approved materials:<ul><li>Masonry Cleaning: Use specialized D/2 Biological Solution to safely clean weathered historic stones.</li><li>Digital Mapping: Map cemetery layouts accurately using specialized mobile applications.</li><li>State Inventorying: Complete official West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office forms.</li><li>Stone Conservation: Level, reset, and repair fallen or shifting gravestones safely.</li><li>Intervention Logging: Record structural preservation updates on standard conservation sheets.</li></ul>📅 Workshop Schedule &amp; Locations The workshop runs from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM both days, splitting time between classroom theory and real fieldwork. Day 1: Classroom &amp; Fieldwork – Friday, November 6, 2026<ul><li>Morning Session (8:30 AM – 12:30 PM): Learn about Appalachian burial customs, stone deterioration, legal codes, and digital documentation at the classroom session.</li><li>Lunch Break (12:30 PM – 1:30 PM): Midday rest.</li><li>Afternoon Fieldwork (1:30 PM – 5:30 PM): Put lessons into practice at the Winfield Cemetery on Rocky Step Road in Putnam County.</li></ul>Day 2: Full Field Day – Saturday, November 7, 2026<ul><li>Field Preservation (8:30 AM – 5:30 PM): Spend a dedicated day restoring the historic Hoge Cemetery, located directly behind the James W. Hoge House and the Putnam County Courthouse.</li></ul>🥾 Safety Guidelines &amp; Requirements All specialty tools, D/2 cleaner, Tampico brushes, nitrile gloves, and safety glasses are provided for free.<ul><li>Required Footwear: Closed-toed shoes or boots are mandatory to handle physical tools and stone.</li><li>Required Clothing: Durable clothing and long pants are highly recommended for field safety.</li><li>Personal Items: Bring your own work gloves, hat, water bottle, bug spray, and sunscreen.</li></ul>Note: Participants wearing sandals or open-toed shoes will be restricted to observation only for safety purposes.

Rivers To Ridges Heritage Trail Inc

Historic Cemetery Preservation Workshop

12474 Winfield Rd

General Admission Both Days!

Free

Friday only!

Free

Saturday Only!

Free

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