Historic Riverside Cemetery Conservancy

Riverside Cemetery Preservation Campaign

Riverside Cemetery is embarking on a preservation campaign for our historic landmark. As you can imagine, the costs associated with maintaining and conserving a landmark of this magnitude is daunting. But, it is a task that our Board of Directors and staff have done for 130 years. 

In 2007, the Historic Riverside Cemetery Conservancy was established by the visionaries on the cemetery board and organized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation. The Conservancy’s mission is one of cemetery preservation, enhancement, and education.

Through community outreach, educational programming, and exciting theater, we have been raising awareness of the challenges we face maintaining this historic and cultural treasure. Hundreds of volunteers – all of whom are dedicated to the task of reclaiming this 19^th century notion of a garden-like cemetery – have been entertaining the many visitors who come to see and enjoy it. However, it takes money to keep the grounds presentable and provide our volunteers the resources they need.

Funding Needs

The Conservancy’s outreach and preservation efforts are funded through endowments, corporate donations, grants, charitable gifts, individual contributions, fundraising events, and memberships. Specific projects include public programs and enhancements such as:

• Pathways to History, an interactive educational curriculum
• Veterans Memorial, including a planned marker for the Civil War Earthwork
• Mausoleum renovation
• Gate house renovation
• Restoration of original Calvert Vaux landscape design
• Heritage Plantings, memorial garden
• Addition of benches and garden areas
• Historic signage
• Road construction and improvement

Our Donors