Local woman cleans hundreds of gravestones for free to preserve history
One stone at a time, Brooksville woman honors the past with some present day TLC
Sara Groves brushes a more than century-old gravestone in Brooksville. Photo by Jessi Hardy.
Aug. 18, 2026
Jessi Hardy
BROOKSVILLE—A Brooksville woman is helping to preserve history and family legacies by cleaning gravestones—hundreds of them—in her free time.
What started as a hobby has evolved into a passion for Sara Groves, a 38-year-old Brooksville native. In the past seven years, Groves has cleaned hundreds of gravestones across the Blue Hill Peninsula.
She views her efforts, all of which are voluntary, as an essential act of community service and historical preservation.
"These are, collectively, our people who have come before us," Groves said. "Their gravestones are one of the ways that we honor their lives. Helping to ensure that a monument is doing its job of remembering that person feels really special."
Groves, who works part time at a library and bookstore, provides her gravestone restoration services free of charge. Her approach respects the natural aging of the monuments through a gentle cleaning process.
"The goal for me is never to restore the stone to immaculate, pristine condition because they're never going to look like they did when they were installed 200 years ago," Groves said. "The goal is to work with what's there and get it to its best shape in its current state."
Groves uses soft-bristle brushes, a plastic scraper, and pH-neutral, biodegradable solutions such as one available commercially under the name D2 on the stones she cleans. She strongly advises against the use of harsh tools like power washers or wire brushes, which can irreparably damage porous stone.
On a recent summer day, Groves demonstrated her meticulous process at Mount Rest Cemetery in Brooksville, where she worked on the gravestone of Ella Grindle, who died in 1915. Groves emphasizes the importance of obtaining proper permission before any restoration work begins.
After taking a photo of the untouched stone for reference, Groves started by spraying water on the stone from the bottom to the top, which helps avoid streaking. Using the small plastic scraper, she began removing lichen. She then applied the D2 spray, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
A gravestone shown before and after cleaning. Photo courtesy of Sara Groves.
Using one of her soft-bristle brushes, which she buys at the Dollar Store, Groves cleaned away other growth and discoloration on the stone. She used a toothbrush on the letters. She will at times also use tooth picks and bamboo skewers to conduct closer work on lettering.
"It's an unusual combination of instant gratification, because the stone immediately looks better, but then, if you come back in a couple of weeks, months, or years, the stone continues to improve because of the cleaning agent we use," Groves said
Groves has cleaned hundreds of stones on a volunteer basis. Photo by Jessi Hardy.
Beyond the satisfaction of seeing the visible results of her efforts, Groves also finds the serene nature of cemeteries to be relaxing and peaceful. She said her time spent there fosters a profound connection with nature, allowing her to observe local wildlife and the subtle shifts of the changing seasons. The never-changing surroundings transform the hallowed ground into living, breathing landscapes, rather than just somber places of the dead, she said.
“I get to be outside and in these peaceful settings,” Grove said. “Cemeteries are so beautiful and I find it very relaxing.”
Professionally trained in grave conservation, Groves encourages others to attend workshops to learn proper techniques such as those hosted by the Maine Old Cemetery Association throughout the year. After all, Groves said, the more stones are restored, the greater the chance that local history will be remembered by future generations.
