Name: Headstone Cleaning Workshop
Start: 2026-05-24T13:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-24T16:00:00-04:00
Location: Old South Burial ground West Bacon St. Plainville, Ma

Returning to continue her presentation on New England Headstones, the Plainville Historical Commission is excited to welcome back Brenda Sullivan of Gravestone Girls. This continuation of her 2025 Spring Program, Brenda will lead a hands on workshop on cleaning and caring for headstones. Teaching attendees proper cleaning techniques, tools, and materials to clean some of Plainville’s oldest headstones. Several of which connect to the American Revolution and are honored in our Salute to Service Flag Garden.
This program is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Plainville Cultural Council. It is a free program but attendees are strongly encouraged to come to the workshop with the following materials as this will be a hands on workshop:
- soft bristle brushes
- soft bristle toothbrushes (can be used but no chemicals on them harsher than toothpaste)
- One 5 gallon plastic bucket. (Water will be provided from Plainville Cemetery thanks to Don Sharpe)
The program will be completely outside in the cemetery so plan accordingly.
We will aim to start at 1 with Brenda taking attendees on a 30 minute walkthrough and demonstration before everyone is unleashed to apply what they have learned.
Depending on numbers you may be asked to group together and share tools and materials.
We hope this workshop helps give everyone a better understanding of caring for our local cemeteries and may lead to a committee that could possibly be formed working with the historical commission and other cemetery associations in town such as Plainville Cemetery Association and the Shepherdsville cemetery association to care for the final resting place of Plainville’s earliest residents. And maybe someday that committee can help return the headstones in the basement of the Humphrey house back to their proper resting place.
Sunday:
May 24, 2026
1:PM start time
Old South Burial Ground, West Bacon St.
Parking information will be provided as we get closer.
We strongly recommend people email, message, or comment if they are planning on attending and how many. This will help us prepare for additional supplies.