A Collection of Rare 1800s Gravestones

by Ron Romano

A curious form of gravestone—resembling a billboard sign—was produced in Maine in the mid-1800s. Surviving examples are found today in at least 25 cemeteries across the state. Cemetery historian Ron Romano provides a fascinating look at these family memorials and their makers, interweaved with compelling stories about the people whose graves they decorate and important historical issues of the period.

About the Author

Ron Romano was raised in Portland, Maine, and spent his college and career years in Boston. After receiving a master’s degree in Public Health Administration, he became a vice president at an insurance company and an adjunct professor teaching graduate students about managed health care. As exciting as that sounds, Ron retired early and moved back to Maine. He serves on the board of Spirits Alive (a local organization, the Friends of Portland’s Historic Eastern Cemetery), managing its popular walking tours program, and on the board of the Association for Gravestone Studies (a national organization) helping to improve the organization’s effectiveness. He’s a frequent lecturer on Maine’s gravestone makers, symbolism, and historic cemeteries. His perfect day includes coffee, a cemetery stroll, bird-watching, pasta, and a movie. And chocolate. This is Ron’s third gravestone- and cemetery-themed book.