The Kentucky Historical Society’s Cemetery Preservation Program has completed the inclusion of its database on the Society’s Digital Collections Catalog. Now, visitors to the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Web site will have access to information on over eleven thousand cemeteries in the state.

This database is a continuation of work begun by the Kentucky Attorney General’s 2001 Cemetery Task Force to develop a comprehensive survey of all cemeteries and burial sites in the state. Seven years in the making, the database contains basic information about cemeteries in the commonwealth, including many names and addresses of the burial sites, the names of people of historical interest that are buried at the cemeteries, and much more. The database can be accessed through the KHS Digital Collections Catalog at www.history.ky.gov.

“Now that this database is available online, searching for a particular cemetery will be much easier, especially for researchers from out-of-state,” said KHS Administrative Assistant Ann Johnson. “Of course, not all cemeteries are registered, but it is a great start to what we hope will eventually be a complete and comprehensive record of Kentucky’s cemeteries.”

Having this family-history information readily available should assist many people in their family research, and possibly generate interest in cemetery preservation. KHS will continue its commitment to provide a comprehensive resource; the addition of cemeteries and updates to the database will be completed on a quarterly basis. Additional information regarding Kentucky cemeteries can be found in the county cemetery records in the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.

The KHS Cemetery Preservation Program provides support to communities across the commonwealth to assist with the protection, preservation, and care of cemeteries and gravestones. Through seminars that teach best practices in cemetery preservation and educational materials that provide guidance and instruction to local citizens, KHS partners with communities to preserve and promote this important part of the history of the state.

For additional information, please contact Ann Johnson at 502-564-1792, ext. 4404 or anng.johnson@ky.gov.

An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present, and inspiration for the future. KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum, and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.