City to work with firm to develop conservation plan for Oak Hill Cemetery monuments

The City will work with Pacific Coast Conservation and the Douglas County Historical Society (DCHS) Oak Hill Cemetery Program Committee to develop a conservation treatment plan for select monuments in Oak Hill cemetery.

The first phase of the project will commence on Monday, Oct. 3, when the team gathers at the cemetery to begin conducting an assessment of monuments. The assessment phase will begin this fall and provide the necessary information to prepare a conservation treatment plan phase, which will begin later this year and continue next spring after the cold weather season.

Funding for this project included a 2021 Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant of $11,000 and $5,000 in private donations raised by the Friends of Oak Hill, Douglas County Historical Society Oak Hill Cemetery Program Committee. It also includes $48,500 of Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funds from the City.

For anyone interested in this project, the Watkins Museum of History webpage will have a link to a project landing page with updates. The Watkins will also share updates on their social media platforms. Toward the end of the project, a public program with the conservators will be held to provide information about the restoration and conservation project.

More information about Oakhill Cemetery, including lesson plans for teachers, can be found on the City’s web site here: lawrenceks.org/lprd/parks/oakhillcemetery