Had an interesting trip today

[Rustyinfla]

   My son works at Tractor Supply and was able to spend some time talking to a customer the other day and he told us about a Cemetery just a few miles from our house that we didn't know was there. We went today to investigate and found the grave of CSA Capt.Frederick Worth from the 8th Florida Infantry. Born Nov.22, 1832 ,Died May 7, 1888.  Now I need to go do some research. I'm curious about the 8th Fla.

   Does anybody have any experience cleaning tombstones?

[subdjoe]

Isn't it interesting the things we can find out by being open and friendly with people?  Or taking a side street rather than the freeway?

Call a stone shop to find out how to clean the marker.  Or - better - if you are near a university that has a decent history department, give that a call and see if they have someone who can train you.  If nothing else, a soft cloth or brush (like a shaving brush) and water.  I'm assuming it is marble, so you don't want anything that has even a hint of acid to it.

[Oldshooter]

Always feel I'm imposing walking around  in old cemeteries,    but it don't usually stop me. There is always some good reading there!

Keep us posted on what you find.

[whbonney26]

Always feel I'm imposing walking around  in old cemeteries,    but it don't usually stop me. There is always some good reading there!

Keep us posted on what you find.

Some of those graves have gone forgotten over many years. Either by where they are located or them just not having any family left. I enjoy going into the old cemeteries and reading the stones. My own superstition is to just not step on the graves or disrespect them in any other way.

For years as a kid in the back seat on the way to a beach in Mississippi we would pass an old fenced in graveyard in the woods. You could barely see it from the road. I think it had about 10 graves and most were from the 1800s. One day I stopped there as an adult just to see what it was. There was nothing that really stood out but was neat just the same. 

[Oldshooter]

I was on a motorcycle trip once in Central Texas back roads, A thunderstorm came up and drinched me. I came on an old Cemetary, that was kept up but didn't look like anyone had been there in a while. I got some dry clothes out and changed behind a large tombstone. I usually would get the "hebi jebis" in a place like that but after I changed I walked around a while and read. This may sound strange but I got the feeling that I was welcome and that it was ok, like someone enjoyed the company, kinda hard to explain, but I felt welcome and at peace there!

We used to clean my G G Grandpa's tomb in Louisiana with a mild bleach and soap solution, Dont think it was marble though, as it was whitewashed, probably concrete with stucko over that then painted.