SITE OF RECORDThis website is the record of Camden Factor’s TAS paper, “Recording What Cannot Be Saved,” presented at the Student Research Symposium of the Texas Archeological Society’s 97th Annual Meeting, Denton, Texas, October 2, 2026.
Top 3 Poster, TAS Student Research Symposium, Texas Archeological Society 97th Annual Meeting, Denton, Texas, October 2, 2026 TAS STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 97TH ANNUAL MEETING ★ TOP 3 POSTER DENTON, TEXAS · OCT. 2, 2026
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Every Stone Counts: a can-do guide for your county

I run Every Stone Counts in Wilcox County, Alabama. The aim is the same small team in every county, based in the local archaeology society or historical society: capture volunteers, a trained processor who holds the software license, and a County Record Keeper who takes each record through the state’s designation and filing process.

SEVEN STEPS
  1. 1
    Form the team
    A processor and a County Record Keeper from the local archaeology society or historical society.
  2. 2
    Get permission
    The landowner’s permission where required; family consent where descendants are known.
  3. 3
    Teach the course
    15 minutes: slides and the 3-minute video.
  4. 4
    Capture
    About 76–80 frames per marker: 24 stops, three heights.
  5. 5
    Hand off
    Originals, a folder named for the marker, a one-line field log.
  6. 6
    Process and check
    About 9 minutes of processing per marker in this study (Apple M3); add a scale; check legibility.8
  7. 7
    Register and file
    The County Record Keeper files and registers where the family agrees; archive at the access level the family sets.

Roles

Capture volunteers.

Take the 15-minute course; photograph markers where permitted; hand in the originals with a field log.

Processor (one per county).

Trained on the processing software; holds the license; processes, scales and checks each model; keeps the originals.

County Record Keeper.

Takes each record through the Texas process: HTC or HTFC application to THC, Notice of Existence with the county clerk, registry entry; works with families and the county historical commission. One person may also serve as processor.

Where to register

Texas: Historic Texas Cemetery and Historic Texas Freedmen’s Cemetery designations (THC); Notice of Existence (county clerk); Texas African American Cemetery Registry (Texas Freedom Colonies Project; anyone may submit).2,7,11,17

Alabama: Alabama Historic Cemetery Register (Alabama Historical Commission).18

Any state: Black Cemetery Network virtual archive (University of South Florida).19

Software: Agisoft Metashape Standard, a one-time purchase of $179.15

$179
Total cost to run Every Stone Counts in a county

One Metashape Standard license, bought once. Volunteers use their own phones, the processor uses their own computer, and the course, video and guide are free. State filing fees, where charged, are per application.

Watch the 3-minute course Download the 12 minute iPhone training presentation
² Texas Historical Commission, Cemetery Preservation; HTC Guidelines & Instructions (2023). ¹¹ Tex. Gov’t Code §§ 442.301–.308 (S.B. 217, 2025).
¹⁵ Agisoft, Online Store; Educational License; Licensing Options (2026). ¹⁷ Texas Freedom Colonies Project, Texas African American Cemetery Registry. ¹⁸ Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama Historic Cemetery Register. ¹⁹ Black Cemetery Network, University of South Florida.