Cemetery Workshop

Integrating Technology for Montana’s Historic Cemeteries.

Walking through a historic cemetery invokes a quiet grandeur as the history buried in the ground comes alive, but that history is too easily lost to time. This is why The History Foundation is hosting a 3 day workshop introducing the public to the vast array of technology available for preserving Montana’s cemeteries. Join us for captivating analysis from over a dozen experts in varying technological fields, exciting demonstrations of tech in an actual cemetery, and engaging field trips to learn more about Montana’s cemeteries.

The workshop will be in Helena, June 21-23, 2018 at the Radisson Colonial Hotel. A block of hotel rooms has been reserved at the Radisson Colonial Hotel. Click on the following link and use the promo code HIST18: Radisson Hotel Link

ATTENTION: This training qualifies as MT SHPO-approved Certified Local Government training for historic preservation officers and commission members and for PIR/continuing education credit for Montana educators.

Registration closes on May 15, 2018.

Click here to see the program at a glance.

See full list of technologies in Program at a Glance!

Check out speaker bios here

Day 1 Preservation Technology Workshop Presentations, Radisson Colonial Hotel, Helena. In-depth explanation from national and regional preservation experts about the research and science behind cemetery preservation technologies. Lunch and networking reception included.

Day 2 Technology Preservation Demonstrations, Forestvale Cemetery, Helena. Ground penetrating radar, canine forensics, global positioning systems, and other technology demonstrations in Helena’s largest cemetery. Lunch included. BONUS: evening ghost walk included! (optional)

Day 3 Field Trips

9:30 am – 4 pm: Elkhorn Ghost Town
Join us for hands-on preservation training and observe a canine forensic team working in new territory. This is a working field trip, so please come prepared to help and get dirty! Jeans, boots, and layered clothing recommended. Transport provided. Sack lunch included. ** Note: some strenuous physical activity required at 7,000’ elevation; limited & primitive bathroom facilities.

9 am – 12 pm: Helena’s Historic Cemeteries
Join historian Dr. Ellen Baumler on a comfortable motor coach for an interpretive tour of some of Helena’s most beautiful and well-preserved cemeteries. Some walking required. Hear the stories behind Resurrection, Home of Peace, County Poor Farm, Benton Avenue cemeteries and more!

9 am – 12 pm Behind the Scenes with After-life Professionals
Join funeral director, Brianne Mulvaney, for a behind-the-scenes examination of the funeral process. Tour Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, walk-through Memorial Monuments, a headstone and burial vault workshop, and visit Lewis and Clark County Coroner’s Office for Q&A with the Coroner before finishing with a rare look at the historic Retz Funeral Home (est. 1926). Transport provided.

This workshop is limited to 80 attendees on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration fee includes classroom training on Thursday, technology demonstrations on Friday, and field trips on Saturday.

This cemetery preservation workshop is funded in part by a grant from the National Park Service. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the Montana History Foundation and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government. This program was developed under a grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, a unit of the National Park Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the Montana History Foundation and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Park Service or the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.