WCHCCRV
Williamson County Historical Commission
Cemetery Restoration Volunteers
Of Williamson County Texas
Williamson County Historical Commission
Cemetery Restoration Volunteers
The “Cemetery Restoration Volunteers” (CRV) and the Williamson County Historical Commission maintain on a rotation basis over 20 neglected cemeteries in Williamson County.
Cemetery Restoration Volunteers is a group of individuals working to preserve neglected and abandoned cemeteries in Williamson County, Texas. Out of the more than 200 cemeteries in Williamson County, we maintain about 20 on a rotational basis. Our work is a collaborative effort of people interested in helping to preserve our history and honor the people who came before us whose graves have been neglected. The volunteers are under the direction of the Williamson County Historical Commission’s Cemetery Chair, Joe Plunkett. There are currently 18 volunteers using their own equipment to mow grass, remove overgrown vegetation, and repair and level headstones. Donations to the WCHC Cemetery Committee help to defray the costs of restoring tombstones.
For more information about WCHCCRV, please email wilcocrv@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2186745204950841/.
Many cemeteries are overgrown with vegetation, so the first thing we do is carefully cut down and remove brush and vegetation covering the gravesites.
Often we have to remove debris and fallen trees that have
damaged the gravestones.
Once the cemetery is cleared of brush and debris we mow the area between the stones, taking care to preserve the pieces of any broken monuments. Our volunteers will return to the cemetery periodically to mow and keep the grounds maintained
What We Do
Raise, Level, and Clean Monuments
Over time, stones tilt and even fall over. The bases of monuments sink into the earth. Using shovels, picks, and specialized tools, we lift the bases of sunken monuments level tilted stones, and replace fallen stones on their bases.
Cleaning
Old stones become covered with grime, including mold, moss, algae, and lichen, which not only obscure the information on the stone but also degrade it, causing structural damage. We use a gentle, non-toxic cleaner to remove the grime and restore the stone’s appearance.
Repair Broken Stones and Monuments
Some stones fall over and get broken, while others may suffer damage from previous vandalism or the effects of time and weather. When possible, we repair the damage to preserve the stones and the information they contain for future generations.
General Maintenance
Many cemeteries are unmarked. When funds allow,
we purchase and install signage at the cemeteries we maintain.
CRV has been helped by the Boy Scouts in the past and in 2020, an Eagle Scout candidate chose one of our cemeteries for his service project. He and his crew removed a rusty, damaged fence and installed new fencing around the perimeter and mounted a new sign.
View some of the excellent repair work at the Denson Cemetery.
View some more repair work at the McFadin Cemetery.
View the restoration process - restoration process - page 2
View the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg1yGpWa-JU
Contact Us
For more information about volunteering with us, email wilcocrv@gmail.com
To keep up with what we are doing, visit our Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3cbzEYz
For more information about the
Williamson County Historical Commission, visit
https://wilcohistory.org/
Special Thanks
We appreciate the support of the following organizations and individuals who have donated goods, services, or money to WCHCCRV.
Donations are always welcome and will help defray the cost of restoring cemeteries and repairing gravestones.
Please contact wilcocrv@gmail.com for more
information on how to donate.
• ESI Masonry Supplies
• Tex-Mix Concrete
• Williamson County Genealogical Society
• Williamson County Historical Commission
• Williamson County Roads and Bridges
