'Historic Marker Day' targets maintenance of signs

Chris Brock, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 28—SYRACUSE — The inaugural National Historic Marker Day, initiated by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, is Friday. The nationwide event is designed to encourage communities to help maintain their historic markers by cleaning and taking care of them, all while providing an opportunity to celebrate local history.

According to the Historical Marker Database, there are more than 138,000 historic markers in the United States. Many of them are in need of cleaning and maintenance. The Pomeroy Foundation, which helps people to celebrate their community's history by providing grants for historic roadside markers and plaques, has created an easy-to-use cleaning guide video and PDF for National Historic Marker Day participants. To watch or download a copy, visit: wdt.me/markerday.

"We've all seen that historic marker that's been through a rough winter or experienced years of neglect," Bill Pomeroy, founder and trustee of the Pomeroy Foundation said in a news release. "National Historic Marker Day is the perfect opportunity to make a difference through a small gesture of community service. It's about getting outdoors and having fun, while celebrating your important local history."

Whether you're a member of a civic organization, looking for a school project or just want to give back to your community, all are welcome to participate in National Historic Marker Day, the foundation noted.

National Historic Marker Day participants are encouraged to share photos of their marker cleaning efforts on social media using -NationalMarkerDay as the unifying hashtag. Photos can also be emailed to info@wgpfoundation.org.

National Historic Marker Day will be held on the last Friday of every April.

The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history and to raising awareness, supporting research and improving the quality of care for patients and their families who are facing a blood cancer diagnosis.

One of their initiatives is helping people to celebrate their community's history. They meet this by providing grants to obtain signage in the form of roadside markers and plaques. Since 2006, the foundation has funded over 1,300 markers and plaques across the United States, all the way to Alaska.