Submitted on August 1st, 2014
Submitted values are:
--Section 1: Organization Information-Name of Organization: Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 41435, Providence RI 02940
Name of Project Contact Person(s): Doreen Wagner
Phone: 401-480-8188
E-mail: Dorwagg@aol.com
Type of Organization: Other (please explain below)
If Other: permanent State advisory commission
Description of Organization and Mission: : This is a permanent
State advisory commission whose purpose it is to study the
location, condition, and inventory of historical cemeteries in
Rhode Island and to make recommendations to the General Assembly
relative to restoration, rehabilitation, and maintenance of these
cemeteries. There are 39 cities and towns in RI and all have
historic cemeteries within their boundaries. These historic
cemeteries are a template of the developmental patterns of each
community and demonstrate the social and economic growth, as well
as the changes throughout each community.
On average, how many individuals does your organization serve per
year? The R.I. Historical Cemetery Commission serves the
population of Rhode Island, as well as any descendants of those
who are buried in the state who live elsewhere.
How did you hear about the CPC? An e-mail detailing the CPC’s
request for applications was forwarded to a member of the
Commission from another historical socie
--Section 2: Project Description-Title of the Project: Finding the Missing Cemeteries in
Washington County
Project Location (Address, City, State, and Zip): The 9 towns
within Washington County, Rhode Island: Westerly, South
Kingstown, North Kingstown, New Shoreham, Hopkinton, Richmond,
Exeter, Charlestown, and Narragansett
General Project Description (you may attach a longer narrative if
necessary): Over time, 1122 cemeteries have been reported as
existing in the 9 towns within Washington County. 1028 of those
have been found and marked, using GPS. Research is required,
using Cemetery Commission records, Town Hall land records, old
maps, and finding owners and residents who might know of the
location of some of these remaining missing cemeteries, in order
to locate those remaining 94 cemeteries.
Potential Scope of Work/Tasks for RWU CPC: Using the information
already available to the Commission, the student would have to
conduct research, mostly using records found in the various Town
Halls, but also possibly including locating property owners,
former residents of parcels on which the cemeteries are supposed
to have existed, or other means, to locate missing cemeteries.
Once an actual physical location has been determined, and after
permission has been granted to walk the property, the student and
a Commission member would try to find the cemetery, so that its
location can be marked using GPS.
What will be the final product output for this project? (survey,
website, design plans, drawings, etc.):
A report would
list the actual location; once the cemetery has been found, the
report will include the cemetery’s GPS location. The Cemetery
Commission’s website can also be updated.
Proposed Project Schedule (when the tasks/project needs to be
completed): The three Commission members for Washington County
have other priorities regarding historical cemeteries, so have
not had time in recent years to undertake this project.
Therefore, any time that the project can be undertaken would be
fine.
Please provide the names and contact information for any staff
members or volunteers who will be playing a primary role in the
proposed CPC project.:
Doreen Wagner
Dorwagg@aol.com
Alexandra La Force Woonpuffin@cox.net
What resources/previous work would the CPC be building upon that
you already have completed? (Please select all items that are
applicable): Previous research
What active support would your organization be able to contribute
should your project be selected? Other (please list)
--Section 3: Project Outcomes-Please describe how this project will benefit your organization
and the advancement of your mission: The Commission cannot study
the location, condition, and inventory of cemeteries unless they
are located. If found, the cemetery might have stones with names,
allowing the Commission to document these, potentially helping
descendants trying to locate their ancestors’ graves.
Please describe how this project might benefit the overall
community, including specific groups that could benefit from this
project (i.e. target populations, neighborhoods, specific
town/city/region).:
Commission members often receive inquiries from descendents of
people who died in one of the towns in Washington County, asking
for information as to the location of the ancestor’s remains.
Obviously, this cannot be provided if the location is a cemetery
which has not been located. In addition, locating these
cemeteries can aid us, and the individual towns’ Historical
Societies, in charting social and economic growth, as well as
other changes within each community.
Please explain why you have chosen to seek assistance from the
RWU CPC with your project request, instead of undertaking the
project using fee-for-services from a paid professional: Since
the R.I. Historical Cemetery Commission has no budget, and is
operated solely on a volunteer basis, there is no money to spend
on a paid professional.
Please describe how this project will benefit RWU students.: In
addition to building on the foundations of research the
student’s courses in historic preservation have provided, this
project will require innovative, imaginative thinking in order to
try to solve the “mystery” of where these 92 cemeteries are.
--Section 4: Financial Information-What is your organization’s annual operating budget? Please
include a copy of your most recent budget with the application in
Section 6..: There is no budget. The Commission is composed of
volunteers. Some towns might provide a small grant for use by the
Cemetery Commission, but this is not the case in any of the towns
in Washington County.
What are your major sources of funding? There is no funding, only
volunteers’ own contributions.
How much funding from your annual operating budget is set aside
for this project (if any)? There is no budget, so there is no
funding.
--Section 5: Private Sector Involvement-Have you or your organization discussed the project with
practicing professionals (e.g. architect, engineer, planner,
consultants, etc.)? : No
If no, please explain why: With no money to spend on this
project, there did not seem to be a point in approaching any
professionals. In addition, we’re not sure what kind of a
professional would do this kind of work….
--Section 6: Supporting Documents-Budget for the current fiscal year:
List of current Board members:
Copies of supporting resources identified in section 2 as needed
to support your application:
Additional File Upload:
Additional File Upload 2:
The results of this submission may be viewed at:
https://rwu.edu/node/113561/submission/513431