IMPORTANT NOTICE:   The organization is currently seeking interested persons to serve as volunteer "ACPA County Representatives" for a number of counties statewide (one each county) and “ACPA Assistant County Representatives” for Butler, Covington, and Wilcox, to name a few.  The ACPA County Representative should reside within the county they represent but must be a resident of Alabama and have Internet/Email capability.  General volunteers are also welcome to help in any way they can.

If you would like to volunteer as an ACPA County Representative or Assistant, become a general volunteer or member, register a cemetery with the ACPA Cemetery Register, or simply find out more about the organization, please visit the ACPA web site or contact the ACPA President, Sherry Johnston; 1st VP & County Coordinator, Frank Brown; the ACPA Founding President, Joyce Nicoll; or ACPA President Emeritus, Ted Urquhart.

About the Organization

The Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance (ACPA) is a non-profit, totally volunteer organization established to combine the efforts of cemetery preservation advocates; interested historical, genealogical, and civic organizations; county groups and societies; and concerned individuals striving to increase public awareness and legislative protection in preserving, protecting and restoring all cemeteries throughout the State of Alabama, especially those that are endangered, forgotten and abandoned.

As well as providing instructions on how to preserve and restore cemeteries and markers, the ACPA provides a means of registering individual cemeteries with both the ACPA Cemetery Register (on-line) and the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) Historic Cemetery Register.  The ACPA also provides inputs to both the University of Alabama’s Cartographic Research Labs (Historic Atlas of Alabama, Vol 2, Cemeteries) and the Alabama Department of Transportation (county maps) whenever a previously “lost” or “location unknown” cemetery is registered to update their maps and cemetery name/location data.

Founded by Mrs. Lorena Joyce Nicoll, the organization was formalized Nov. 1, 2003 and has been working with the blessings of the AHC (Alabama Historical Commission) and has received compliments from the Alabama Dept. of Archives and History (ADAH) and Veterans Adminstration (VA).  Among many involvements, the ACPA has co-hosted an annual cemetery conference each year since 2002; presented cemetery preservation workshops around the state; performed cemetery and tombstone dedications along with the SAR, DAR, SCV and UDC; has played a part in recovering and placing 13 lost Civil War Military Markers; has helped to deter the imminent destruction of a Revolutionary War burial ground from modern commercial development; and helped organize cemetery clean-ups with local Scout Troops.

Since the ACPA has been active, a new wave of interest has been generated, as confirmed by the record number of cemetery queries the AHC has received and by recent news coverage in the newspaper and television media.  All of this has been done with the help of a fine gathering of dedicated individuals and organizations who have volunteered their time and talents towards the common goal of saving "Alabama's Cemetery Heritage".

The ACPA is in the process of establishing a network of "representatives" in each county to interact with local communities on cemetery preservation issues of all kinds. To date, we have a number of dedicated individuals acting as ACPA Representatives for their counties.  Their presence on the county level provides the interface with individuals, organizations, groups, businesses, media, state, county and city officials and law enforcement to promote and seek participation in the ACPA's goals and mission.

Because the ACPA County Representatives are volunteers, each approaches their position with personal experience and knowledge while observing the cemeteries within their county lines to record their condition, confirm locations, and provide current information on such issues as vandalism, theft, disputes and cemeteries threatened by development.