Conservation work has begun on the Fishermen’s Monument, a cherished memorial on Old Burial Hill that honors 65 local fishermen lost at sea in the Great Gale of 1846.
The 15-foot marble obelisk, erected in 1847 or 1848, stands as a testament to one of the most tragic events in Marblehead’s history. The storm claimed nearly 150 lives in a town of about 5,000 residents at the time, leaving 43 widows and 155 fatherless children.
Ivan Myjer, a conservator with Building and Monument Conservation, is overseeing the restoration project. His team began work last week.
“Today, we’re just cleaning all the biological growths off,” Myjer said. “We use a product called D2 that most people use for cleaning gravestones and monuments. It’s extra chemicals that don’t harm the stone or the surrounding trees.”
Myjer brings a wealth of experience to the project. He started his career in conservation before formal programs existed in the United States, learning from experts trained in Europe. Thirty years ago, he moved to New England to become director of conservation for Historic New England, formerly known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.
The restoration, expected to take five to six days, was funded by a $10,500 grant from the Marblehead Historical Commission. The work comes after a 2022 conditions assessment report identified the monument as a high-priority project requiring urgent attention.
Myjer, who has worked on numerous historical monuments including the Shaw Memorial in Boston, noted the unusual construction of the Fishermen’s Monument.
“The fact that it commemorates all these men lost at sea is significant, but the construction is really unique,” he explained. “It’s hollow and made of slabs of stone, not a full block system. I’ve never seen a monument constructed this way.”
The monument’s exposed location on Old Burial Hill has contributed to its deterioration over the years. Decades of weathering, including damage from acid rain, have taken their toll on the marble structure.
Pam Peterson, chair of the Marblehead Historical Commission and a member of the Old Burial Hill Oversight Committee, emphasized the monument’s importance to the town’s identity.
“Most people knew somebody who had died in the storm, so it was considered to be a huge tragedy,” Peterson said. “The monument has all 65 names on its four sides.”
The conservation work involves several steps beyond cleaning. Myjer’s team will remove failing sealants, repoint open joints with soft lime mortar and repair losses at the top of the band with a hydraulic lime-based repair mortar.
“We’re going to be taking out some previous repair work,” Myjer said. “Once it’s cleaned, it’s going to take us maybe a day or two or three to get to that stage.”
The project is part of a larger effort to restore and preserve Old Burial Hill. A comprehensive survey revealed numerous deteriorating and damaged monuments, grave markers and tombs throughout the historic cemetery.
The initial funding for restorations is in place, thanks to efforts by the Old Burial Hill Oversight Committee. Additional fundraising for gravestone and marker conservation is planned for the fall.
The Fishermen’s Monument restoration has garnered significant community interest. Local residents and history enthusiasts have been closely following the project’s progress.
Myjer emphasized the delicate balance between conservation and restoration in this project. “Conservation accepts change over time and tries to preserve it without restoring it,” he explained. “But we do fill some of the holes and gaps to keep the water out. So there’s a small amount of restoration.”
As work continues on the monument, town officials and preservationists hope to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining these historical markers.
“When the work is completed, the commission and the Old Burial Hill Oversight Committee would like to commemorate the work and make everyone aware of the importance of preserving these monuments and markers of our past,” Peterson said.
