Winneshiek County history is being preserved one gravestone at a time

(photo courtesy of www.cemeterysavers.com)

Decorah resident Stacy Gossling is passionate about preserving history. Her interest was sparked 6 years ago when she was appointed to the Winneshiek County Pioneer Cemetery Commisssion. Through her work on the commission and workshops she attended, she learned how to properly repair and clean historic gravestones in order to preserve their place in history.

"Once I learned the correct way to clean a stone," says Gossling, "I started cleaning Civil War soldiers stones in a local cemetery on my days off. Eventually, I had so many people ask me to clean a stone of a loved one that it led me to start my own gravestone cleaning business." And so began Gossling's business, Gravestone Cleaning Service, in 2014.

Gossling explains, "I do all the cleaning by hand, the old-fashioned way. No harsh chemicals or toxic household cleaners are ever used."  Things like bleach, vinegar, peoxide, and amonia will actually do more damage than good, according to Gossling. "I am a firm believer if you can't do it the right way, don't do it at all. It's better to leave a stone alone than to do some kind of irreversible damage."

The gravestone restoration process usually involves multiple visits, especially when restoring older marble stones. On the first visit, the stone is thoroughly cleaned and treated with a special biological growth cleaner that soaks into the stone and continues working for months. Gossling says, "After the first cleaning you will likely notice a big change. About a month later, the stone will be treated again, and after another month, it will be treated for the final time. The sun, wind and rain will continue to clean the stone for 3-6 months."

"It's important to realize gravestones are not just dirty stones," says Gossling. "They make up the history of our area. Restoring and cleaning the stones is an important part of saving a piece of history. Cemeteries are really outdoor museums."

For more information on the process and services of Gravestone Cleaning Service, visit www.cemeterysavers.com