Historical Organization of the Week: NJ Cemetery Associations

Every Monday, I highlight a non-profit related to history or the arts, a historical society, preservation group or friends group whose main objective is to promote the historical and artistic history of New Jersey.

This week, instead of one specific group, I am highlighting the numerous cemetery associations and boards across New Jersey. Many of the non-religious cemeteries in New Jersey are run by non-profit boards and all of the plot-owners are voting members. These cemeteries rely on a maintenance and preservation fund to keep the grounds and monuments in good shape. However, many older cemeteries across the state have been filled and may no longer have a board associated with its preservation. Or the cemetery's funding may be scarce because the lack of new burials. In these cases, the associations must rely on donations and sometimes volunteer groups to come in and help remove trash, cut grass, and make repairs. Examples of noteworthy cemeteries that fell on hard times and have been renewed by the help of self-less volunteers and donations are the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery in Jersey City and the Mount Peace Cemetery in Lawnside.

To find out more about historic cemeteries and their care in your town, contact your local historical society. They most likely have the resources to point you in the right direction or may even be responsible for trying to resurrect one!

If you are a member of a non-profit organization or know of one that you would like to see featured on this site, please let us know in the comments or send an e-mail to kelly@thehistorygirl.com.