Protecting America’s Pioneer Cemeteries

Our Mission

The National Council of Pioneer Cemeteries is a national preservation initiative dedicated to protecting the history, dignity, and legacy of America’s pioneer burial grounds.

Through documentation, research, public awareness, and cooperation with state-level partners, landowners, caretakers, descendants, and local communities, the Council works to ensure these sacred places are recognized, respected, and preserved for future generations.

Why This Works

Pioneer cemeteries are more than places of burial.

They are historical records carved in stone. They tell the story of migration, settlement, hardship, faith, family, war, survival, and community.

When these cemeteries are forgotten, more than headstones are lost. Names disappear. Family histories vanish. Local memory fades. Entire chapters of America’s early story become harder to recover.

Preserving these sites means preserving the people who built the communities we live in today.

What We Do

IDENTIFY
Locating known, forgotten, and at-risk pioneer cemeteries across the United States.

DOCUMENT
Recording cemetery names, locations, photographs, inscriptions, conditions, historical context, and associated families.

PRESERVE
Supporting restoration, cleanup, vegetation management, marker documentation, and long-term stewardship efforts.

PROTECT
Working with state partners, caretakers, landowners, and communities to encourage responsible preservation and prevent further loss.

EDUCATE
Raising public awareness about the importance of historic burial grounds and the need to protect them.

State Preservation Network

The National Council of Pioneer Cemeteries supports the development of state-level preservation efforts across the country.

Current members of the Council include:

Oregon Pioneer Cemeteries Conservancy

Identifying, documenting, and preserving pioneer cemeteries across Oregon.

Ohio Pioneer Cemeteries Authority

Supporting preservation and documentation of historic pioneer cemeteries across Ohio.

As this work expands, additional state organizations and partners will be added to the national network.

Our Approach

The Council does not assume ownership or control of cemetery properties.

Instead, we work through cooperation, documentation, awareness, and preservation support. Many pioneer cemeteries are located on private land, and long-term protection requires trust, respect, and collaboration with landowners, caretakers, descendants, and local communities.

Our role is to help bring visibility, structure, and support to sites that might otherwise be forgotten.

Leadership

ALEX CHASE
President, National Council of Pioneer Cemeteries
Chairman, Oregon Pioneer Cemeteries Conservancy
Caretaker, Jones Pioneer Cemetery
Benefactor Amplissimus

DRAIMAN GILL
Vice President, National Council of Pioneer Cemeteries
Chairman, Ohio Pioneer Cemeteries Authority

The Council was founded to bring national attention, organization, and preservation support to pioneer cemeteries and historic burial grounds across the United States.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse