Arizona’s historic cemeteries represent a vital link between our present and past. They exist in every city and town as places of remembrance for departed family members, friends, and other citizens of our communities. Cemeteries strongly evoke a sense of place and in some instances are the only remaining property of a once-vital community. While many cemeteries are well maintained, some historic cemeteries have suffered from the effects of time, neglect, and vandalism. To promote public awareness of the historic cemeteries and gravesites around Arizona and to encourage their preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in conjunction with the Pioneers’ Cemetery Association and volunteers from a number of agencies and organizations initiated a project coinciding with Arizona Statehood Centennial (2011-2012) to create an inventory of historic cemeteries around the state. A historic cemetery is identified as being at least fifty years old and consisting of one or more gravesites. The SHPO, Arizona’s official repository for information on historic resources, created a special form that volunteers used to collect information about these cemeteries. This information included cemetery name, location, general condition of the cemetery and any markers, age, number of burials, and other important details. The cemetery owner’s name, the name of the record keeper, burial authority, and the person and group performing the documentation are also generally included on the form. Because Arizona Statute 42-011110 exempts cemeteries from property taxation, the form also asks for the tax parcel number. The inventory does not generally include names of persons associated with each burial.
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