The Newcastle Historical Society has set aside three dates in 2023 for community volunteer work parties. Volunteers will gather at the site (7811 129th Avenue SE, 129th, Newcastle).  

For directions:  

*Park at Lake Boren Park and walk to the north, out of the park and toward the Historic Newcastle Cemetery. *Tip, walk along the Waterline trail for a direct route.

*For drop off or street parking, take Newcastle Way to SE 129^th, travel south on this dead-end street, park along the street or drop off safely near cemetery. The gated cemetery is to the west with signage. Walk into the cemetery, where there will be a sign-in desk and brief set of instructions for all volunteers.  

Our work activity is planned for 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Wear suitable clothes for outdoor activities and your favorite work boots. Bring your work gloves too. You may find that a hand pruning clipper is helpful. Collection receptacles will be on-site for transporting debris. An additional work party of similar scope is planned for Saturday November 11th (Veterans Day). All dates have the same start and end times. Participants will be directed to restrooms at Lake Boren Park, as there are no restrooms at the cemetery.

Background on the Historic Newcastle Cemetery: Newcastle was a booming coal-mining community in the mid-to-late 1800’s. At the time, Newcastle rivaled Seattle in population. The mining community had an active cemetery that served as a final resting place for community members that had immigrated here from all over the world, to seek work and a better way of life for their families. The cemetery at Newcastle is no longer an active cemetery. Today it is showing the effects of time, neglect, and vandalism. It is indeed a very beautiful resting place for many of the original community pioneers. The Newcastle Historical Society has taken on the loving task of helping in the restoration and beautification of the grounds. This is a 2.2-acre site that was donated by David W. Morgan in 1880, as a cemetery. The first burial took place there in 1879, before it was even dedicated as a cemetery.