For the past two weeks, I’ve been working on a couple of projects related to the RVPF website. Basically, the foundation wanted me to find information on cemetery preservation for their website by emailing Tom Klatka at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Funny thing is I tried to apply for an internship under him before I applied at at RVPF.
The first project I worked on was related to information on cemetery preservation from various workshops and information on historical cemeteries. I expected Mr. Klatka to send me a few web links and maybe a book that has been written on the topic, but instead I got a link to a 600 page PDF on the history of burial practices in America, preservation, and information on various historical cemeteries in Roanoke. Thankfully, my supervisor did not want me to read through all of it and said she would look through it herself to find want they need. I’m glad she took that PDF off my hands! I prefer my 600 page books to be on fiction, not burial practices and cemeteries.
The other project ended with a less extreme reply from Mr. Klatka. I needed a FAQ on how to preserve historic cemeteries, and I can either make one from the information provided or use one Mr. Klatka made. He already had one ready for me to use so making one was unnecessary. The FAQ covered many topics such as property rights regarding cemeteries on private land and who to call when finding burial grounds. It was interesting to read and showed me just how much work goes into preserving historic burial grounds.
Now that three projects are out of the way, I should be getting close to wrapping up this internship. The next project I’ll be working on involves endangered historical sites in Roanoke.
