Old monuments and gravestones can deteriorate over time to the point that they become hazardous to visitors and workers. Fortunately, the New York State Division of Cemeteries offers funds to repair dangerous stones. Funds are approved only after a cemetery completes a lengthy application process.
Lakewood Cemetery has received funding for the repair and restoration of 130 monuments and gravestones since 2020, and we are pleased to announce that 38 monuments were restored in 2024.
Humphrey Memorials of Herkimer, New York has done all the repair work for us. They do amazing work. They disassemble and remove the stones piece by piece, pour concrete foundations 42” deep, reassemble the stones, and carefully power wash them. Doing all this with heavy equipment in our hilly cemetery, without damaging trees, other stones, or the grounds, is a special challenge, and we’re very grateful for their skilled and careful efforts.
Repairing these stones eliminates dangerous conditions, makes the cemetery more beautiful, and honors the deceased by restoring the memorials that mark their lives. Broken monuments stand tall again, unsightly moss and lichen are removed, and the beauty of old inscriptions and stone carvings can once again be appreciated. We encourage you to come see them if you can!
Please scroll through the before and after photos below to see the remarkable transformation of the monuments repaired in 2023.
Chester Allen Monument, Before
Lakewood Cemetery
182 County Highway 31, Cooperstown, New York 13326