[MassHistPres] cleaning lichen from monuments and lead paint

[Joyce Heywood / John Rivard]

Hi Jonathan,

I don't know if this will help, but in 2009, I had my parents' granite gravestone cleaned by a monument company. While their stone is probably much smaller than your monument and obviously much younger (erected in 1983), the stone was being taken over by lichen and dirt brought in by the New Hampshire weather. See the attached "before" picture taken in 2006 and the "after" picture (with a veteran's flag) taken in 2011, 2 years after the cleaning. The cost was very reasonable, under $150 and well worth it in my mind. So, my advice is to check with your local monument company. 

Joyce (Chicklas) Heywood
Upton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Liebowitz, Jonathan 
  To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu 
  Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2011 10:25 AM
  Subject: [MassHistPres] cleaning lichen from monuments and lead paint









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  From: Liebowitz, Jonathan
  Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 5:51 PM
  To: masshistpres at umb.edu
  Subject: cleaning lichen from monuments and lead paint


    The Littleton Historical Commission would like advice on cleaning what I think is lichen from a historic monument in town.  The monument is granite from about 100 years ago and has inscriptions that are becoming illegible because of growths of lichen covering them.  What do you recommend for cleaning the monuments?  Is this something that amateurs can do, or are there professionals whom we should call upon?  If the latter, can anybody recommend someone or suggest listings of reliable professionals?
    On the lead paint question--We had our home repainted last year.  Our contractor was aware of the lead paint ruling (just coming into force then), took a brief course on the requirements, and then followed them.  I'm sure that any reputable painting contractor would now be prepared to follow the requirements.  You probably shouldn't have to tell them what to do.  
  Thanks
  Jonathan Liebowitz
  Littleton Historical Commission



  Jonathan J. Liebowitz
  History Department
  University of Massachusetts Lowell
  Lowell, MA  01854
  USA
  978-934-2530



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