By Amy Sienicki
 
March 18, 2010
 
JACKSONVILLE, Ore. -- Cemeteries across Oregon are applying for grants from the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries to protect and rehabilitate the century old sites.
 
The Historic Jacksonville Cemetery was awarded a grant from the commission in 2006 and 2009.
 
In 2006, Jacksonville and a group of volunteers were able to repair the two oldest plots in the cemetery with the money. Last year, the Jacksonville Cemetery was able to repair an original iron fence that surrounded a family's burial plot. The fence had been damaged by a dead tree.
 
"That is something that would not have happened without a grant from the state.  They provided the funding.  We supplied materials and volunteers and got the job done," said Dirk Siedlecki with Friends of Jacksonville's Historic Cemetery.
 
The Rogue Valley Genealogical Society was awarded a grant in 2007 that it used to purchase two new computers to help place thousands of Jackson County death and burial records online.
 
About $40,000 in grant money will be awarded this year. An individual cemetery could get anywhere from $500 to $4,000. Applications are due April 19th.
 
For more information click here.