Save the Graves

10/03/2025

Sign up early for the incredible October Union Cemetery performances of 'Women of Character" by Save the Graves.

https://savethegraveseldorado.org/performances/save-the-graves-2025-women-of-character/

10/03/2025

07/06/2025

Join us on July 26th at 10 am for a driving tour to two interesting and historic south county cemeteries. Mike Roberts, president of Save the Graves and ardent taphophile will lead the tour.

Meet Up / First Stop: Fairplay Cemetery (7950 Perry Creek Road in Fairplay - 1/3 mile east of Fairplay Rd.) This cemetery may be the most idyllic rural cemetery in El Dorado County.

Second Stop: Conway's Omo Ranch Grocery Store (6555 Omo Ranch Rd in Somerset.) We'll meet owners Tac and Michele Conway, who have deep family connections to the Indian Diggings area.

Last Stop: Indian Diggings Cemetery. From the store, we'll take Indian Diggings Road roughly 3.8 miles to the cemetery. The road to Indian Diggings Cemetery is unpaved and gets increasingly rough as we approach the cemetery. About 1/4 mile before the cemetery, a downed tree makes the road impassable. We'll park and walk the last quarter mile of the road. Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is very irregular.

Indian Diggings was once a thriving town with the first marble quarry in California. Hidden deep in the forest, Indian Diggings Cemetery contains dramatic examples of the distinct, blue-veined marble the quarry was known for.

Please Note: The road to Indian Diggings Cemetery gets rough. High clearance vehicles are strongly recommended. Carpooling from Omo Ranch store to the cemetery is recommended.
This Save the Graves free event is open to all ages. Advance registration is required.

https://savethegraveseldorado.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a0dd3c9ac0bc9234a318a43b&id=0b618de807&e=4109706156

05/14/2025

Honoring Our Hero’s

Please join us this Sunday, May 18th at 9:00 am at Placerville Union Cemetery as we work together to install headstones for our Brave veterans. Your help in this important task will ensure their service and sacrifices are remembered forever.
All are welcome. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring gloves if you have them.

Placerville Union Cemetery
650 Bee Street, Placerville
Sunday, May 18
9:00 am

Let’s come together as a community to honor those who served. Please share this post and spread the word!



01/09/2025

Join us on Saturday, January 25th for a tour of lesser known, really cool Placerville cemeteries. We'll be visiting six cemeteries: the Methodist Episcopal Federated Church, Placerville Old City, Saint Patrick's, Uppertown, Pioneer Jewish Cemetery and the Pest House.
No cost to attend. Tour is suitable for all ages.
Meetup: Federated Church Parking Lot, 1031 Thompson Way, 10 am.
If we get rained out, the backup date is Sunday, January 26th at noon.
Pre-registration required.

07/30/2024

Saturday at Placerville Union Cemetery there was a lot of activity! The National Charity League along with the Boys Charity Team were busy straightening headstones and cleaning veterans headstones as well as a few other headstones that were in need of a good proper clean. If you have a group that is interested in learning how to properly care for these historic treasures let us know at
SavetheGravesElDorado.org

07/18/2024

Tickets on sale now at

SavetheGravesElDorado.org

07/15/2024

Charley Parkhurst 1812-1879

Buried in Pioneer Cemetery, Watsonville, CA

Stagecoach travel was an important mode of transportation in El Dorado County during the second half of the 1800s. Stage routes were established between towns, carrying passengers, mail, gold and other goods.

One famous stagecoach driver, known as a “whip,” was Charley Parkhurst. He, or as it turns out, she, was well-known and respected, driving stages all over California.

Charlotte Parkhurst lived her adult life as a man, even voting in the 1868 Presidential election many years before the 19th Constitutional Amendment allowed women to vote. It wasn’t until she died that it was discovered that Charley was in fact, a woman, born Charlotte Parkhurst in New Hampshire. She came to California as an experienced stagecoach driver in 1849. The D.A.R. chapter in El Dorado Hills / Folsom has cleverly adopted her name.

Interpretation by Mike Roberts, 2024

06/11/2024

Saturday, June 15th, 9:30-1:30pm

The North County Cemetery Crawl sold out last year so we're doing it again, but with a few twists and turns on three backroads that rival their cemeteries for history, scenery, and “local flavor.” Your leader, Mike Roberts, will lead this caravan/carpool from Greenwood to the little-known Spanish Dry Diggins Cemetery. Historic Greenwood Cemetery is the next stop. From there we'll stop in old downtown Greenwood and discuss the town’s namesake, John Greenwood and his illustrious father, mountain man Caleb Greenwood. With stomachs growling we'll wind down another scenic backroad to Garden Valley and visit the most charming farmers market on earth, the Peoples’ Mountain Market. After some sustenance and respite, we’ll wrap up with a short drive down picturesque Garden Valley Road to Kelsey Cemetery to meet a surprise guest. This tour is a joint effort by ARC and Save the Graves. All ages welcome. Suggested donation: $10/members, $15/non-members. A detailed email will be sent once you register online. REGISTRATION LINK

https://impact.locable.com/widgets/calendar_widgets/d96b6d61-6cb8-4547-a109-d712f02a3a8e -county-cemetery-crawl-redux