Maine Old Cemetery Association upcoming events

Board Meeting - 2nd Quarter (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Details including meeting link to be posted 14 days in advance.

NOTE: Regular Board Meetings are held virtually during the 2nd month of each quarter on the third Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM.

Spring 2026 Program Day (30 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Hosted by
The Searsport Historic Preservation Commission
and Penobscot Marine Museum

Members and Non-Members are welcome to attend.

Curtis Hall - First Congregational Church
8 Church Street (1 block off of Route 1)*
Searsport, ME

8:30-9:00 Registration, Morning refreshments
Entry Fee: $5.00 per person. May be paid in advance online (preferred) or at the door. Proceeds benefit our Host and MOCA.

9:00-9:15 - Welcome

9:15-10:00 Coffin & Daughter, Belfast, ME
Douglas and Sigrid Coffin hand design and carve letters in stone using the traditional English method of a chisel and a hammer.

10:00-10:15 - Break, Displays
If you have a cemetery project you wish to share with others, please bring a display board, photos or other related materials. A table will be available to set up displays.

10:15-10:45 - Maritime Gravestone Iconography
Jon Johansen, President of the Board & Researcher, Penobscot Marine Museum

10:45-11:15 - The Waldo County Patriot Project
Deb Nowers, DAR - Penobscot Expedition Chapter. Deb and her “flash mobs” are locating, documenting and repairing (when possible) Waldo County Revolutionary War patriot gravestones and burying grounds.

11:15 - MOCA Q & A

12:00 - Lunch
A selection of sandwiches, vegetable trays, beverages & desserts.

$12.00 Lunch reservation is required by May 25.
Reservations and payments can be made online.

1:00-2:00 - Tour of Elmwood Cemetery
Directions: About 4 miles north on Rte 1. Pass by the Trash & Treasures Barn and the “Lighthouse” building on left. Make a left opposite the Maritime Gas Station and go down the dirt road. There is a sign, “Elmwood Cemetery” on the road at the entrance. There is a circular road in the cemetery for access & egress.

Penobscot Marine Museum will be open and free to registrants of the Spring MOCA meeting after lunch. Please be sure to pick up an entrance sticker before leaving Curtis Hall.

* Enter Curtis Hall via ramp or stairs in front of the church. Parking is available on Church Street on the left in front of the Church, and further down Church St. on the right in front of the brick PMM exhibition building & library. It is also available behind the school at the end of the street.

MOCA 4-Day Conservator-Led Beginners Workshop (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Maine Old Cemetery Association is pleased to announce our 2026 4-Day Conservator-Led Beginners Workshop, led by Professional Conservator Joe Ferrannini.

This intensive, hands-on workshop is designed for individuals who are serious about learning the proper techniques of historic gravestone conservation. Under Joe’s direct instruction and supervision, participants will gain foundational skills in assessment, documentation, cleaning, and basic conservation treatments following established professional standards.

Over four full days, attendees will work directly in the field, receiving step-by-step instruction grounded in best practices for long-term preservation. The workshop emphasizes responsible, ethical conservation methods that protect Maine’s historic markers for future generations.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is intended for:

Cemetery stewards and caretakers
Historical society members
Municipal officials and cemetery committee members
Preservation-minded volunteers
MOCA members seeking structured, professional-level introductory training

Applicants should be prepared for active, outdoor field work and committed to attending all four days.

This workshop will be limited to 25 participants, with priority given to MOCA members and those able to attend all four days.

Note that classroom attendance on
Friday morning is mandatory.

Those who submit an expression of interest in this workshop will be reviewed by the Workshop Committee prior to confirmation of registration.

While the workshop is offered at no cost, donations are gratefully accepted to help defray workshop expenses of about $4500 and support future conservation workshops.

Donations will be accepted each day of the workshop.
Checks should be made out to MOCA.

Workshop Volunteer Policy

Workshop Waiver

Newsletter Content Deadline - Summer 2026 (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

You are invited to contribute essays, articles, poems, photos, illustrations, and any other information related to MOCA activities, old cemeteries, local history, burial and funeral rites and rituals. Our next newsletter is on the design board, and we would love to share your cemetery-related content.

If you have something to share with your fellow taphophiles:

Send written items in MS Word, plain text documents, or included in the body of an email message;
Clearly indicate the author's name;
Send photos/illustrations that you own or have direct permission to share with MOCA. Use the highest available resolution in JPG format;
Include name of photographer and captions for photos/illustrations.
Tell us where you are from. If you're from out of state or a temporary/seasonal resident, also let us know how you are connected to Maine.

Send content suggestions to
news@moca-me.org today!

We are excited to see what where your contributions will lead us!

* AGS 2026 Conference & Annual Meeting (23 Jun 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Summer 2026 Program Day (25 Jul 2026)

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Program Details Coming Soon!

Hosted by Riverside Cemetery
and the
Muskie Archives

Registration to open in late May/early June.

Board Nomination Bios Due (31 Jul 2026)

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Newsletter Content Deadline - Fall 2026 (14 Aug 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

If you have something to share with your fellow taphophiles:

Send written items in MS Word, plain text documents, or included in the body of an email message;
Clearly indicate the author's name;
Send photos/illustrations that you own or have direct permission to share with MOCA. Use the highest available resolution in JPG format;
Include name of photographer and captions for photos/illustrations.
Tell us where you are from. If you're from out of state or a temporary/seasonal resident, also let us know how you are connected to Maine.

Send content suggestions to
news@moca-me.org today!

We are excited to see what where your contributions will lead us!

Board Meeting - 3rd Quarter (20 Aug 2026)

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Details including meeting link to be posted 14 days in advance.

NOTE: Regular Board Meetings are held virtually during the 2nd month of each quarter on the third Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM.

Workshop Applications Deadline (31 Aug 2026)

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Fall Program Day & Annual Meeting (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Location to be announced in summer 2026.

* MMA Annual Convention (07 Oct 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Board Meeting - Organizational (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Details including meeting link to be posted 14 days in advance.

NOTE: Regular Board Meetings are held virtually during the 2nd month of each quarter on the third Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM.

Board Meeting - 4th Quarter (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Details including meeting link to be posted 14 days in advance.

NOTE: Regular Board Meetings are held virtually during the 2nd month of each quarter on the third Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM.

Newsletter Content Deadline - Winter 2027 (31 Dec 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

If you have something to share with your fellow taphophiles:

Send written items in MS Word, plain text documents, or included in the body of an email message;
Clearly indicate the author's name;
Send photos/illustrations that you own or have direct permission to share with MOCA. Use the highest available resolution in JPG format;
Include name of photographer and captions for photos/illustrations.
Tell us where you are from. If you're from out of state or a temporary/seasonal resident, also let us know how you are connected to Maine.

Send content suggestions to
news@moca-me.org today!

We are excited to see what where your contributions will lead us!

Maine Old Cemetery Association upcoming events

Board Meeting - 2nd Quarter (21 May 2026)

Spring 2026 Program Day (30 May 2026)

Hosted by The Searsport Historic Preservation Commission and Penobscot Marine Museum

MOCA 4-Day Conservator-Led Beginners Workshop (12 Jun 2026)

Workshop Volunteer Policy

Workshop Waiver

Newsletter Content Deadline - Summer 2026 (19 Jun 2026)

* AGS 2026 Conference & Annual Meeting (23 Jun 2026)

Summer 2026 Program Day (25 Jul 2026)

Program Details Coming Soon!

Board Nomination Bios Due (31 Jul 2026)

Newsletter Content Deadline - Fall 2026 (14 Aug 2026)

Board Meeting - 3rd Quarter (20 Aug 2026)

Workshop Applications Deadline (31 Aug 2026)

Fall Program Day & Annual Meeting (26 Sep 2026)

* MMA Annual Convention (07 Oct 2026)

Board Meeting - Organizational (08 Oct 2026)

Board Meeting - 4th Quarter (19 Nov 2026)

Newsletter Content Deadline - Winter 2027 (31 Dec 2026)

Hosted by
The Searsport Historic Preservation Commission
and Penobscot Marine Museum