The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) is offering several events in Dayton, July 26 and 27. The free events are open to the public and include the commission’s meeting, a presentation and a historic monument care workshop. The OCHC will hold its public meeting at 2 p.m. July 26 at the Palmer Creek Lodge Community Events Center Auditorium, 606 4th Street, Dayton. The agenda includes a report on completed grants, the historic cemetery permit process, commissioner reports, and future meeting planning. Interested parties may also call in to the meeting. Meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Special accommodations and translation may be arranged up to 72 hours in advance of the meeting by calling 503-986-0690. The presentation, “The Stephens Cemetery: Multiple-owner management of a historic cemetery” with Molly Casperson, district archaeologist with the Bureau of Land Management follows the meeting at 5:30 p.m. July 26 in the same location. The Stephens Cemetery is a small historic cemetery located in Douglas County, in use 1879-1922. The cemetery is co-owned by the Bureau of Land Management and a private landholder, and access is controlled by a private business. Letitia Carson, a notable freedwoman, pioneer, midwife, and landholder, is interred at the cemetery, as well as the ancestors of several local families who still live in Douglas County. This is a case study in how to work with a variety of constituents for the documentation, preservation, interpretation and access of a culturally significant place. Following the presentation will be a discussion about historic cemetery management and negotiating these relationships. The historic monument evaluation, cleaning and repair workshop will be 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Brookside Cemetery, 3rd and Mill Streets in Dayton, on July 27. Participants should bring their lunch, snacks, water to drink, a stool or folding chair to sit on, gloves to wear, a hat, sunscreen, appropriate clothing as this is a hands on workshop, comfortable shoes, a pen and note pad and camera if they want to take photos during the workshop.
