ARG Conservation Services, Inc.

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Scope Of Work

The Catholic Cemetery of Shasta State Historic Park in northern California dates to the Gold Rush days, when the town was crowded with new immigrants seeking their fortunes. The cemetery was dedicated in 1855; since its last interment in 1936, it has remained a time capsule, where miners and saddle makers lie side by side with judges and wealthy matriarchs. The cemetery forms a vital part of Shasta State Historic Park and the Shasta Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2006, California State Parks embarked on a six-year restoration project of the site. ARG Conservation Services was retained to remove graffiti and restore broken grave markers, bent fences, and tumbling masonry borders. In difficult terrain with few extant records to guide the work, conservators, masons, and archaeologists worked together to ensure that graves remained undisturbed and repairs stayed true to the historic character of the site.

Conservators additionally painstakingly documented every plot and headstone marker. California State Parks used this record as the basis for its own research, eventually creating an interpretive guide for visitors. ARG Conservation Services and California State Parks were honored with a 2012 Preservation Design Award by the California Preservation Foundation for their collaborative preservation and interpretive efforts.