Preservation of historic cemeteries topic of BAMA’s genealogy workshop, April 27

Preservation of our historic cemeteries will be the topic of the Belton Area Museum Association’s upcoming annual genealogy workshop to be held at the historic Belton Train Depot, Saturday, April 27, from 9 AM – 4 PM.

Attendees will learn to look beyond the birth and death dates of the deceased to uncover information about the iconography on headstones and gravestones as well as become informed about some basic principles of properly photographing, cleaning, inventorying, and cataloging grave markers.

Jason Harpe, of Harpe Consulting (www.harpeconsulting.com), will conduct the day-long seminar.  The morning session will cover important conservation topics.  The group will break for a catered lunch, and then will caravan to a local historic cemetery for some hands-on application of the morning’s information.  Afterwards, guests can return to the Historic Belton Train Depot to receive assistance from seasoned genealogists to help them conduct their personal genealogy research. 

“Harpe’s work with groups of individuals from various generations gives him a new and fresh perspective that offers a candid, uplifting, optimistic, and energetic view of how to make history and preservation important and relevant to all generations,” said BAMA Director Shirah Smith.

Cost for the day’s workshop, including catered lunch, will be $15 per person.  Registration is required by April 20. 

For more information or to sign up for the upcoming workshop, please contact Shirah Smith at 864-353-3708.

Jason Harpe of Harpe Consulting will conduct a day-long seminar for upstate cemetery enthusiasts at the Historic Belton Train Depot, Saturday, April 27.