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.
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.
The National Council of Pioneer Cemeteries supports the development of state-level preservation efforts across the country.
Current members of the Council include:
Identifying, documenting, and preserving pioneer cemeteries across Oregon.
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.
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.
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