CANTON — The Canton Historical Society will host a talk, “Preserving Our History: Caring for Our Cemeteries,” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, in its building at 25 Turner St. The speaker will be Cheryl Willis Patten of the Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) and the Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOGA).

Cemeteries are delicate outdoor museums that contain history on individuals and towns. They provide a wealth of information that may not be available elsewhere. In her talk, Patten will explain how to decipher information found on gravestones and discuss the steps one can take to conserve the historical record. She will also address some basic information used to evaluate and conserve cemeteries and describe best practices for caring for gravestones.

Patten has been an advocate for cemeteries for many years. She chaired the 2011 AGS annual National Conference and has held various offices with MOCA, including serving as chair of the MOCA Workshop Committee for eight years. Retired from teaching and state employment, Patten has more time for exploring cemeteries in Maine and other states and countries.

Information on AGS can be found at www.gravestonestudies.org and information on MOCA can be found at www.moca-me.org.

The event is free and open to the public. The venue is handicapped accessible. Refreshments will be served. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

For more information, email cantonmehistorical@gmail.com.