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Geocaching In Cemetaries


cqdx

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I just went to a cemetary in Ohio that had 9 caches in it. It felt weird going in the cemetary for this purpose. What are your thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before..

 

Just found a law on the books in South Carolina

 

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-605 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "GEOCACHE", "GEOCACHING", AND "LETTERBOXING", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ENGAGE IN GEOCACHING OR LETTERBOXING IN CEMETERIES, ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, OR ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF THE STATE, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

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I just went to a cemetary in Ohio that had 9 caches in it. It felt weird going in the cemetary for this purpose. What are your thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before..

 

Just found a law on the books in South Carolina

 

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-605 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "GEOCACHE", "GEOCACHING", AND "LETTERBOXING", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ENGAGE IN GEOCACHING OR LETTERBOXING IN CEMETERIES, ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, OR ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF THE STATE, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

 

 

Just to add a side note, the bill is still pending senate sub-committee meetings and has not been made into an offical law as of yet.

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I don't know anything about that bill, it's not in my state, but well correct me if I'm wrong here, but cemeteries are all private property right? either commercially run, or on church property. So the same guidelines about obtaining permission apply, right?

 

I've done some cemetery caches. I try to be respectful of the dead. I've never seen another person in said cemeteries, not sure I'd proceed if I did.

 

Also, some cemeteries have a good deal of historical value, and people do visit them just for that reason, not necessarily geocachers. I don't see an inherit problem with 'em I guess.

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I do agree with NEKOM that cemeteries are private property. But they do have public access.

I also think that all the Walmart micros are also on private property with public access.

So the question is: Can we place caches in cemeteries and Walmart parking lots?

It makes me re-evaluate my 3 cemetary caches, I might just have to pull them in light of further discussion on this subjuect.

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<_< I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :lol:

 

I don't think geocachers can disturb them. Nor can the joggers, dog walkers, historians, artists, bird watchers, photographers, geneologists and all the other people who use cemeteries.

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<_< I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :lol:

 

I don't think geocachers can disturb them. Nor can the joggers, dog walkers, historians, artists, bird watchers, photographers, geneologists and all the other people who use cemeteries.

 

I agree. of all the cemetery cachces I have found, none of the containers have been in a place that makes it necessary for a cacher to step on a grave or stone in any way.

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I agree. of all the cemetery cachces I have found, none of the containers have been in a place that makes it necessary for a cacher to step on a grave or stone in any way.

 

I did find one in Northern Cal. that you head to walk through the graves and markers to get to.

 

However, my most memorable cemetery cache trip happened close to home. I was sitting at the computer, and a new cache that was part of a puzzle series I was working on came out. It was just after dark, and I was out the door.

 

I could tell that it was going to be in, or near a local cemetery. I went the suggested parking coords, and they were at the head of a sidewalk trail that skirted the edge of the cemetery. I proceeded down the path, and zeroed on a bush that was growing into the chainlink fence around the cemetery. I spent a good 5-10 minutes searching in and around the bush. I noticed that just inside the fence there was a pavilion set up with chairs all around. It was obvious there was going to be a service there soon.

 

As I was replacing the cache container, I saw a pair of headlights coming my way from within the grounds. I ducked, and hid about 40 feet away. I figured security would come check on things and go away, then I would scoot back to my car. Well, the car pulled up, and two people got out and started shining thier lights at the fence, and scanning the ground around the chairs that were set up. They didn't go away, so I figured I would explain myself so they wouldn't get suspicious of more FTF hounds came out that night.

 

I stood, and approached the fence, and one of them looked right at me. I got to the fence, and said, "I figured I had better explain myself, so you don't worry about what was going on out here."

 

Well, as you probably guessed, it wasn't security, and no, he hadn't actually seen me. At the sound of my voice coming out of the dark, he let out a blood curtling scream, and his flashlight went flying! He grabbed his chest, and I thought he was going down. The other person turned out to be his wife, and the only reason she didn't scream was because she was too scared to make a sound!

 

Well, we all had a good laugh after that.

 

<_<

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<_< I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :lol:

 

I agree with codeman3. I have too much respect for the dead than to look at tombstones for the year someone died to find the next waypoint. Morbid is what it is. I put them on my 'ignore' list.

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We have a TON of them here in Indiana. I don't really know what I feel. We have done a few and most of them are placed in places that aren't right on top of a grave. I feel a little icky though like I'm not supposed to be there. There is some wonderful history behind them and some of the stones are amazing to see. So see I'm confused. I've heard rumors that they are getting a bit carried away though. A friend found one the other day and said to reach it she thought she would have to stand on a headstone. She refused though. So I guess it's okay to a point. I have heard other complaints about this making it hard to place other caches cause there is a cemetary on every corner practically.

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I have no problem with cemetary ones. One of the locals has archived a bunch of his, when I asked him why he said because the geocaching community isn't gonna put up with those type of hides much longer. My first cache find was a cemetary cache. Personally I enjoy the history I see in a lot of them. One cemetary near here has 4 active ones in it, it's a beautiful, hilly cemetary. From the road you can only see back about 80 yards. But once you go in, you find the cemetary continues about 300 yards back into the woods. There was a great view from the top and some neat old stones to see. Not one of the caches was actually in the cemetary, but in areas too steep for graves in between flattened out areas in the top. I spent almost 2 hours just exploring the cemetary, the farther back I went, the higher and older the graves got. Now this is only about 10 miles from home, but if it were not for geocaching I never would have gone back in there.

 

If they are done respectively, cemetary caches can be a lot of fun and very educational.

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I don't know anything about that bill, it's not in my state, but well correct me if I'm wrong here, but cemeteries are all private property right? either commercially run, or on church property. So the same guidelines about obtaining permission apply, right?

 

I've done some cemetery caches. I try to be respectful of the dead. I've never seen another person in said cemeteries, not sure I'd proceed if I did.

 

Also, some cemeteries have a good deal of historical value, and people do visit them just for that reason, not necessarily geocachers. I don't see an inherit problem with 'em I guess.

 

Well, I am not sure about cemetaries in your part of the country, but most of them around here are either owned by the city, county, or state. We even have a federal cemetary not to far from the captiol.

 

WyoBigFish

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It wasn't too long ago that whole towns would gather at the local cemetery to have the town picnic. You can still find tables and benches at some older cemeteries. On Monday my family will go have a picnic in the Newtown cemetery and visit with our deceased family members. We will probably play cards like we have in the past. No one seems to think we are being disrespectful as other families will be out there with us. Seems to me that Geocaching isn't too much different.

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I wonder if the thoughts of whether visiting cemeteries for the purposes of geocaching is appropriate or not falls along the same lines as the feelings that geocaching is game or sport versus a hobby or pastime?

 

I think the dividing line is more likely between the numbers hounds and those who use geocaching primarily as a way to explore the world around them.

 

I think any numbers hound with a conscience would feel a twinge of discomfort at the idea of playing their game in a cemetery, while those who focus on the educational aspect of the sport are grateful for the opportunity to discover a new, interesting place.

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I believe it is far more disrespectful of the deceased to allow a cemetery to fall into disrepair, neglect and disuse rather than to have a cache placed there. I intentionally placed a cache some time ago in a certain cemetery in my area to raise awareness of the horrific vandalization that it has suffered over the years. As pointed out earlier, cemeteries have historically been used for picnics, historical research, genealogy, marker rubbings, photography and a variety of other activities.

 

I hope that less reactionary minds prevail with the Ohio law.

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City of Angels

 

that was one of my favorite caches.

 

We spent the day exploring a fantastic cemetary and even spent an hour in President Garfield's tomb.

 

I had very mixed feelings before this one-- but my kids understood showing respect for the dead.

 

It was agreat day and a great history lesson.

 

but this cemetary offers tours all year-- they really encourage visitors. On fathers day the tour this year was of sports figures burial sites, they also offer geology tours, daffidol days, and many more.

 

tours offered at this cemetary

 

EDITTED to add links

Edited by kateiam & kids
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To those of you who say it is disrespectful of the dead to look at the numbers as a part of a puzzle I must say that IMO the dates and names are their for a reason. If their loved ones did not want them to be remembered they would not have marked the stones. I have often stopped to visit what are called locally Pioneer cemeteries just to pay respect to those who made the first attempts at making settlements. I do not believe that geocaching is a disrespectful game, there are few among us who would not be moved at the sight of a child's gravemarker, or curious as to the life of a distinquished elder when elder wasn't that old. we are able to respect the forests, the city parks and other aspects of life, I belief we can be respectful of the dead too.

 

Bwmick

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"Can we place caches in cemeteries and Walmart parking lots?" Since these types of caches have been placed and approved by the truck load, isn't this a self-answering question? :lol::tired::tired:

 

True. But the way Wally world caches are still being approved by the truck load, while permission is demanded for cemetery caches due primarily to "the incident" is sort of hypocritical.

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:lol: I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :tired:

 

I don't think geocachers can disturb them. Nor can the joggers, dog walkers, historians, artists, bird watchers, photographers, geneologists and all the other people who use cemeteries.

 

I agree. of all the cemetery cachces I have found, none of the containers have been in a place that makes it necessary for a cacher to step on a grave or stone in any way.

 

I think there can be a place for cemetery caches, when respectfully done. I have quite a few placed in cemeteries. I recently archived one of my very first hides (a cemetery cache), in small part because I sort of felt that I had not kept in "spirit" with the way cemetery caches ought to be placed.

 

There is a hider in Southeastern IN, that if I were to see that one of his/her caches are placed in a cemetery, I would likely avoid it, based on this person's previous hides that I have looked for. Quite a few that were most definately not respectfully done, at all.

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Cemetary caches can be well done, or not.

 

While I'm in favor of them, I don't think they are all OK. I'm not crazy about most caches in active cemeteries. I found one once that was in a bush right between the headstones of two fairly recent burials. I really didn't get the point of that, other than a cache for the sake of placing a cache. If they are in an active cemetery they should be hidden in the far reaches where searchers are unlikely to encounter mourners.

 

The one I mentioned in an earlier post I felt was tasteful and appropriate. I've found others that have brought me to historic cemeteries and I thought those were great. You can learn a lot about our forefathers by visiting these places. Their attitude towards death, their religion, their art, their mortality rates and more.

 

In one cemetery I found a family section and among the graves of the parents, grandparents and children was the grave of a "negro slave". Her headstone had her name on it. Here was a slave that was a such a beloved member of the family, she was buried alongside them. Unusual, but a peek into the life of an early 19th century family.

 

"Most people think of cemeteries as scary, spooky places you want to avoid. But we like to think of them as places where you can go to learn more about history. “Cemeteries are interesting. They're worth visiting and they're worth studying. If we take the time to listen to what the stories might tell us, we have a lot to learn.” -Archaeologist Richard Veit

 

Edited by briansnat
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We've done a number of cemetery caches and I've never felt odd about looking here for a cache. I thought the whole point of a cemetery is to bring people to reflect on the beauty of life.

As an artist, I've spent hundreds of hours at photography, rubbings, and illustrations in cemeteries. As a cacher, I've practiced CITO numerous times on caching visits. As a civilian, I've attended picnics, tours and even community parties at cemeteries. Like anyplace we play it's a community area tended by the community and for the enjoyment of the community.

I'm planning to spend Saturday morning at our local cemetery cleanup effort and I'm sure I'll be considering new caches all the while. We haven't placed a cemetery caches yet, but some of the most interesting caches we've ever done are cemetery caches. Tombstones tell a life's story so that the people will come and witness and remember. I don't think they'd be offended to know that someone new stopped by and read about them and reflect, reguardless of the reason that brought them.

Like any cache, they can be placed badly, but I haven't found that to be the case yet for any of them. If anything, they tend to be placed more thoughtfully because of the location. Just my 2cents. :lol:

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there actually is an extremely old cemetary in my neighborhood, less than 500 feet from my house, its pretty much fallen into complete disrepair, most of the headstones so weathered that they are unreadable, some of the stone tops to the graves are broken, and the whole place is nestled between 2 houses along the road. I don't even know that the place has a name. Its sad really. I think the oldest readable one in there is from the late 1800s newest is somewhere around 1950 or so.

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:lol: I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :tired:

 

I agree with codeman3. I have too much respect for the dead than to look at tombstones for the year someone died to find the next waypoint. Morbid is what it is. I put them on my 'ignore' list.

 

Puritan hangovers.

 

Nothing morbid about graves or cemetaries, just ghost stories and religious b.s. behind the morbid thing.

 

Weird, funky, even somewhat spooky maybe, but not morbid.

 

No more horror movies for you scaredy-cats.

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I know I will not bother in the least the occupants. I do worry a bit about the live visitors. I respectfully avoid others while I learn the history offered in many cemetaries. I say no to caches placed among the headstones but have no problem with caches along the edges and/or using facts and figures to solve for the final location.

 

Visiting such caches has led me to learn some facinating history. The last cemetary cache I did was a nearly forgotten group of graves outside a small town where everybody had died in the winter of 1917 of influenza. Mostly kids. Gives a bit of insight on how bad things could be. I am glad I was led to this place.

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I enjoy a well done cemetery cache as well. I really don't understand the hangups people have with walking around a place honoring the dead. I've always enjoyed walking around looking at tombstones and seeing the stories presented.

 

One of my favorite caches was this one: Smackdaddy, which besides the unique cache itself, it's a very old cemetery that happens to be in the flight path of our airport and my daughter thought watching the planes so closely was neat too.

 

My kids and I spent over 90 minutes searching for this cache because they wanted to keep reading more of the tombstones than what was needed for the puzzle. We talked about why so many more babies died "back then", the veterans honored from various wars, and just in general about the families there. Shouldn't a cemetery be a celebration and lesson of the former lives of the residents??

 

If not for a geocache in this location, we would have NEVER discovered this very unique spot (isn't that the main benefit of this activity?). The cemetery doesn't show up on any of the maps I've seen and is barely active today. I've always enjoyed wandering through cemeteries (respectfully) and thanks to geocaching, my kids are experiencing the same enjoyment.

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I don't feel as comfortable doing cemetery caches as others, but I still do them. But I always make a point to walk around the area and look around. There's usually a veteran's memorial or historic figure nearby. And having an interest in history, I like the older cemeteries. Sometimes when driving down a country road I'll stop by one when I see it whether there's a cache there or not.

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Personally, I'm quite comfortable walking around in cemeteries - I was doing this long before geocaching existed. And I enjoy doing so for much the same reasons others have mentioned above. Sometimes I'll find a bit of history - names of families who first founded towns back in the colonial days. A Minuteman who answered the call when the Revolutionary War started. Other times I'll find hints of lost/forgotten stories - the little 1800s family plot with multiple stones bearing dates within months or weeks of one another...did famine or disease strike the area? There can be fraternity and tradition - the VFW plot with row upon row of markers bearing a flag, each new generation of soldiers tending the graves of those who came before them.

 

And often, oh so often, there is art - statues and engravings that could stand alongside those in galleries or in front of civic buildings. The stone angel, every feather on her wings meticulously carved. The bronze soldier, detailed down to the wrinkles on his uniform, forever ready for duty. Figures of mercy, of justice, of joy, of sorrow, of love, of longing. Exquisite engravings on myriad motifs - the winged skulls, eternally mournful willows, intricate Celtic knotwork. I can literally spend hours at some cemeteries just walking around and appreciating the beauty of the memorials.

 

A potentially interesting perspective on cemetery usage can be found in the history of one not far from my home, Mount Auburn Cemetery:

Mount Auburn Cemetery has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior, recognizing it as one of the country's most significant cultural landscapes. Founded in 1831, it was the first large-scale designed landscape open to the public in the United States. Today its beauty, historical associations and horticultural collections are internationally renowned.

 

Our founders believed that burying and commemorating the dead was best done in a tranquil and beautiful natural setting at a short distance from the city center. They also believed that the Cemetery should be a place for the living, "embellishing" the natural landscape with ornamental plantings, monuments, fences, fountains and chapels. This inspired concept was copied widely throughout the United States, giving birth to the rural cemetery movement and the tradition of garden cemeteries. Their popularity led, in turn, to the establishment of America's public parks.

A number of cemeteries in my area (and indeed, across the country) drew their inspiration from this rural/garden cemetery movement, and their use by the general public is not merely tolerated but actually encouraged - they take justifiable pride in their beautiful landscapes, the many different trees and flowers placed around the grounds. Others (like those dating back to the Colonial era) are part of a town's history, and public access is considered desirable from an educational standpoint - some of them even providing maps directing visitors to the graves of prominent men and women, and information on why these people were considered important in their day. This is not to say that all cemeteries are organized on such principles, but simply to illustrate that attitudes towards public access of cemetery grounds are more varied than some might realize. :laughing:

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I love cemetery caches.

 

I'm with erikwillke, I enjoy cemetary caches. I don't find them tacky or disrespectful. I've probably done about 100 or so in cemetaries, and some have been wonderful. I have at least 3 caches hidden that involve cemetaries.

 

--Marky

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:laughing: I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :laughing:

 

You're right. Let's stop putting flowers and flags on graves for Memorial Day, too. ;)

 

Those loud grass mowing machines really should go too. And the backhoes to dig a new grave, no more I say. :D

 

And the other day I saw a funeral with GASP gunfire!!! They even had a trumpet player there, how rude is that?

Edited by webscouter.
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Your own yard might be a cemetery,

Saw a local show about the settlers hundreds to a thousand years ago. One of the main drags through the next town over has hundreds of burials still in the median. They were finding so many putting the street in, that they decided not to disrupt the median. Another neighborhood had a law that says an archeologist must be consulted before digging a pool or building an addition. Just last month, someone found an ancient skull (about 1000 years old) when putting in a new irrigation system.

Edited by Wacka
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I am currently waiting on permission to place a cache where my father is buried. This cemetary has a gazabo in it and that is where the cache will be placed, and this cemetary is out in the middle of nowhere in the country. My job takes all over and I have found some cemetaries that really could use a cache with the note that says "if you look for this cache, please take a moment to do a little maintence and pay your respects". A lot of these cemetaries have been let go and need some help. So of the stones go back as far as 1890, and would be a shame to let them just disappear in the weeds. Some of them have weeds/grasses almost knee deep. My plan is that when I go to get permission and to place the cache is to take about an hour or two with my weed trimmer to start the process. Most of these cemetaries are little ones with about 50 to 75 graves in them and just need a little help and not to be forgotten. Just my thoughts. :laughing:

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:laughing: I m not all religious and all that but I still think that the deceased should be left in peace and not disturbed by geocachers or anyone on that matter :laughing:

 

I agree with codeman3. I have too much respect for the dead than to look at tombstones for the year someone died to find the next waypoint. Morbid is what it is. I put them on my 'ignore' list.

I completely DISagree. I've done a number of cemetary caches (not a lot, but enough maybe 3 or 4) where you looked at headstones to determine coordinates.

 

Many of the the headstones tell a story about the life and culture of the persons interred. For example, there were a number of headstones I saw while searching that were childrens graves from the 17 & 1800's*. I read those and thought of the hardships that founders of our country had to endure, diseases, war, etc. I frequently leave these caches with more respect and reverence than when I went in. Call it education if you want. You do not get a sense of history by driving by a place so fast you cannot read and understand what stories lay within.

 

*At least in New England, you have graves that go back that far. In other places, maybe not so much, but still... There are stories - read them! It is your history, too!

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I posted the following on a later thread :

 

Cemetery caches are my very favorite but I agree they should be carefully done with good clues.........no probing around. Most I have found have been in trees and bushes on the perimeter. I have spent hours reading and meditating and believe those that rest there would be pleased.......I know I would.

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I grew up in a town that is mostly cemetaries serving the NYC area. The Babe GC21C9 is just one of the famous people resting there. I think it might be neat to arange to have your own grave used as part of a puzzle cashe. You could use your birth year as part of the clue.

 

I am pretty sure there is only one person who disturbs 'The Babe', and it's not you or I....

 

ac2bfbff-6f76-4317-8dee-e5c05421f51e.jpg

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I just went to a cemetary in Ohio that had 9 caches in it. It felt weird going in the cemetary for this purpose. What are your thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before..

 

Just found a law on the books in South Carolina

 

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-605 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "GEOCACHE", "GEOCACHING", AND "LETTERBOXING", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ENGAGE IN GEOCACHING OR LETTERBOXING IN CEMETERIES, ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, OR ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF THE STATE, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

 

Even if this law makes it into the books, how do you enforce it with EXISTING CACHES? What are they going to do, stop and question everyone walking around with a GPS near a cemetary? And even if they did, the answer would be "just checking where I am, Officer", or "finding a gravesite", not "I am geocaching. Please give me a ticket."

 

Even if you got caught redhanded at the cache site, you would just stand up and say "Just removing the cache to comply with the new law", and then take it with you.

 

I doubt the cops have the time and manpower to 'stake out' caches and observe activity.

 

And, as said in other threads, how can you know if you are anywhere NEAR an archeological site, when the states keep them all a secret?

 

It amounts to another unenforceable 'jaywalking' law. :rolleyes:

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I just went to a cemetary in Ohio that had 9 caches in it. It felt weird going in the cemetary for this purpose. What are your thoughts? Sorry if this has been discussed before..

 

Just found a law on the books in South Carolina

 

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-605 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERMS "GEOCACHE", "GEOCACHING", AND "LETTERBOXING", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ENGAGE IN GEOCACHING OR LETTERBOXING IN CEMETERIES, ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, OR ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF THE STATE, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

 

Even if this law makes it into the books, how do you enforce it with EXISTING CACHES? What are they going to do, stop and question everyone walking around with a GPS near a cemetary? And even if they did, the answer would be "just checking where I am, Officer", or "finding a gravesite", not "I am geocaching. Please give me a ticket."

 

Even if you got caught redhanded at the cache site, you would just stand up and say "Just removing the cache to comply with the new law", and then take it with you.

 

I doubt the cops have the time and manpower to 'stake out' caches and observe activity.

 

And, as said in other threads, how can you know if you are anywhere NEAR an archeological site, when the states keep them all a secret?

 

It amounts to another unenforceable 'jaywalking' law. :rolleyes:

 

There aren't any existing cemetery caches in SC, they were all pulled when the bill first got started last year.

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I wonder if the thoughts of whether visiting cemeteries for the purposes of geocaching is appropriate or not falls along the same lines as the feelings that geocaching is game or sport versus a hobby or pastime?

 

I think the dividing line is more likely between the numbers hounds and those who use geocaching primarily as a way to explore the world around them.

 

I think any numbers hound with a conscience would feel a twinge of discomfort at the idea of playing their game in a cemetery, while those who focus on the educational aspect of the sport are grateful for the opportunity to discover a new, interesting place.

Well said, this is EXACTLY why I love this hobby/sport/addiction. I've learned of so many places that I never knew existed and have seen some awesome scenery.

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I've found several cemetary caches and all were done in a tasteful and respectful manner. I don't see a problem with them, especially in older cemetaries. If not for this one bringing people in, there would be little to no visitors aside from those doing the groundskeeping and the volunteers replacing the flags. Without it, who would be reminded that there were two little boys who died two days after Christmas in 1817? Their parents carried on for decades and were eventually laid to rest next to them. There are just so many touching and compelling stories to be found. Although we may not know all the details, finding just what we can from the stones in a cemetary helps carry the memory of those who lived before us, and helps bring us closer to our own humanity.

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