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Cemetery caches.


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I’ve never minded finding caches in cemeteries, as long as they were away from the graves themselves. I’ve found the odd one that’s been hidden in a bush adorning a stone, which seemed to me a bit disrespectful, especially if the cache page didn’t specifically say that this stone is Aunt Edna’s, or whatever.

 

What’s really on my mind, though, is a cache I found just a few days ago. Normally when you’re asked to get information from a stone (the person’s birth date, age when they died, etc.) it’s of a grave that has some historical context – maybe a grave from the 1800s or early 1900s, maybe founders of the nearby town, etc.

The cache I found a few days ago asked for information from the stone of a young girl who died about five years ago, aged 21.

With my impeccable sense of timing, I ran into the mother at the gravesite, with no escape route open to me. She had no idea the geocache existed; she thought I was a birdwatcher. I won’t go into details, but the encounter, though seemingly innocuous, shook me up pretty badly.

I guess that’s my no-crossing line: having to glean information from newer stones without approval from the family.

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Hamgran, that must have been an awkward situation in which to be. I agree with you that caches should not involve more recent deaths, if the family is not aware of/supportive of the idea. My prayers are with that mother. Did she seem open to the idea of having people visit her daughter's grave, if they did not know her?

 

Over the weekend we searched out a cemetery cache. It was a beautiful tribute to military veterans. While there, I noticed a large, highly decorated grave site. I had to go look and was saddened to see that it was for a teenager who died a few years ago. There was so much love poured out into his memorial. There were tons of souveniers obviously placed there by his friends and family... even a pair of athletic shoes and a hockey stick.

 

As I was walking away a car pulled up and two teenage girls got out. Sure enough, they went to the grave of this young man. I approached them gently and told them how sorry I was for their loss... that I had been looking for something else when I saw their friend's grave and how saddened I was. They seemed glad to be able to tell me about their friend and to see that someone else mourned his loss. I tried to say goodbye and tell them that I would be keeping the family in my prayers, but I couldn't get the words out. I was too choked up.

 

It is not morbid to visit the dead. It is not disrespectul to enjoy life while in a graveyard. When I'm gone, nothing would make me happier than to have folks come picnic, play and pray near my grave site. I would tell them, "Think of me, enjoy your life. I sure did.".

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I guess the answer is like everything else.....it depends.

We were brought up with the attitude that cemeteries were places to celebrate. Yes, celebrate the lives of those who went on before us. The cemetery is a place of honor and not for morbid curiosity.

Face it, it is a matter of choice and opinion. There are no right or wrongs here!

P.S. Folks, try to lighten up (personal attacks) a little bit because you'll never get out of this World alive anyway! :unsure:

Edited by Konnarock Kid & Marge
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I’ve never minded finding caches in cemeteries, as long as they were away from the graves themselves. I’ve found the odd one that’s been hidden in a bush adorning a stone, which seemed to me a bit disrespectful, especially if the cache page didn’t specifically say that this stone is Aunt Edna’s, or whatever.

 

What’s really on my mind, though, is a cache I found just a few days ago. Normally when you’re asked to get information from a stone (the person’s birth date, age when they died, etc.) it’s of a grave that has some historical context – maybe a grave from the 1800s or early 1900s, maybe founders of the nearby town, etc.

The cache I found a few days ago asked for information from the stone of a young girl who died about five years ago, aged 21.

With my impeccable sense of timing, I ran into the mother at the gravesite, with no escape route open to me. She had no idea the geocache existed; she thought I was a birdwatcher. I won’t go into details, but the encounter, though seemingly innocuous, shook me up pretty badly.

I guess that’s my no-crossing line: having to glean information from newer stones without approval from the family.

 

Funny, I was accused of being a birdwatcher the other day. Not in a cemetery though. Also, I once ran into the Mother of young soldier killed in Iraq a few years ago. This wasn't a cemetery, but a memorial to him in a small park. She thought maybe I knew her Son, as I'm retired military (Army Reserve), and still have an obnoxious high and tight flat-top haircut. She actually stopped when she was driving by and saw me rooting around in the park. This whole thing was pretty uncomfortable.

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A new cache just went active in our area (S.W. Virginia) and the driving dirictions showed it to be on the roadside near a public cemetary but when I got to the cache site it was inside the cemetary. (Placed with permission of the grounds keeper) I knew that the cache was hard to find according to other logs and the bush that it is in looked like it had been muggled. I thought it was inconsiderate and disrespectful to place a cache inside a cemetary so I did not attempt to find it but I did post a note stateing that I thought it was a poor place for a geocache. I have found/logged geocaches near cemetarys, along the fences & ect. but I don't know of any that are inside of a cemetary. Then I got some emails (not from the cache owner) suggesting that I delete my note, which I did. I would like to hear input from fellow geocachers on this matter, thanks. :unsure:

 

Looks like both you and the cache owner did your homework. Your note would have been better served as an email to the owner. Noting that the finders are having an impact on the area is important information for the cache owner (and groundskeeper) to have. That way they can adjust the hide or archive it if needed.

 

That said there is nothing whatsoever inherently disprespectful about a cache inside of a cemetary. Some cachers have mentioned having a cache on their market when they pass. Reality is we bring our own thoughts and ideas to the table. When I watched the movie "Australia" I was suprised to see a note for Aboriginies saying the names of the dead were mentioned. They explained it in the movie and I understood. Jews will place a stone on a grave as a sign of respect. That doesn't strike me as something I would do to be respectful. I'm more inclined to pause in thought, but both are respectful.

 

Something to ask yourself. Where does the edge of the cemetary begin? I dont like stepping over someone if I know they are under ground. 2' over I don't mind. Thats my 'edge' and it has nothign to do with a fence. Our local cemetary has fenced off about 2 acres of open space for expansion. The fence is an artifical line that doens't have a lot to do with where sacred or respect starts. However in your case it does appear to be where your personal line starts.

 

It would pay some dividends to search your soul and better understand why you feel the way you do. Then when you are out in the world where you may be passing near, over, or on top of where someone died and it was unmarked lost in the sands of time (like at your fishing hole) you can at least understand why it's ok that you are not paying your respects there, where you do when you know and why that's ok.

 

Jews?! Are you Jewish? I take offense to the way you phrased the colloquialism.

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Jews will place a stone on a grave as a sign of respect.

 

Jews?! Are you Jewish? I take offense to the way you phrased the colloquialism.

I don't understand. I'm Catholic and if someone said "Catholics do this or that", I wouldn't be offended. Catholics is the plural form for those who are Catholic. Jews is the plural form for those who are Jewish. Why take offense?

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I don't like walking on graves, so I walk just "north" of the headstone (behind it). I have found about a dozen cemetery caches and none were disrespectful. One had the cacher go to their relatives graves to get numbers for the final which was in bushes along the fence, nowhere near the graves. Two weekends ago, three of the caches were in cemeteries. One was in a bush where one did not have to step on graves, another one was near a family plot where the burial dates ranged from 1932 to 2008 (the woman buried in 2008 was 101)-led us to look up the family history on the internet, and another was next to a nice waterfall and contemplation garden. That one we did in silence using hand signals because we noticed people paying their respects to loved ones in crypts and cremain niches nearby.

Edited by Wacka
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...Jews?! Are you Jewish? I take offense to the way you phrased the colloquialism.

 

Mixed Race, Maybe Jewish, Arab, Indian, Black Dutch, Black German, Black Irish, Hispanic or Maybe something else. Gotta love sealed records. Those are in addition to the parts of the mix I do know.

 

I tell my kids, "You are whatever race you need to be." Caucasian is so blasé anymore.

 

For you that's "why yes maybe I am a Hebrew American, thank you very much".

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IN the cemetery, probably not.

At the gate or somewhere nearby, most definitely.

 

My one and only cemetary cache is like that... it is attached to the fence that surrounds it, and I state on the cache page that you do not need to enter to find.

 

That said, I have done many cemetery caches where you needed to enter the cemetery not only to find the cache, but to see the historical richness within. There is one in Upper Michigan, for example, that is mostly in the woods, and the ground is carpeted with periwinkle. Actually... I can think of two up there that are like that, one where all of the graves are from the mid 1800's.

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In my region there is a whole series of cemetery caches. "Spirit hunts," I think they're called, placed by a local caching group. I have found a few of them....um I think I've found 4 so far.

 

At first I was creeped out by the idea of caching in a graveyard. Actually, one of these was the very first cache my kids and I found! It was right up the street from our house, and the cache was hidden in a rotting tree stump. Another cache was in a historic Quaker cemetery, in a hollow tree. A third was in the woods beside a very old, tiny cemetery that is on a private drive and nobody would see otherwise.

 

My only concern is that passers-by might wonder what you're up to, traipsing around in a historic cemetery. Modern ones, well, people visit those normally anyhow.

 

But it's cool. I think it's healthy to get over that "creeped out" feeling--old cemeteries are neat. Drawing attention to them in this way can help with their preservation, not necessarily add to their destruction.

 

My parents are both dead. I have to say, if someone hid a geocache in the tree that's growing about 12 feet from their graves, I wouldn't mind a bit. Just don't step on the brass plaque, OK? :unsure:

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In our area of the world , there are many caches hidden on the grounds of cemeteries. They are usually hidden in a tree or bush or along a fence line. I have never found one on a grave site and would not expect one to be placed there.

 

I often find it very interesting visiting these cemeteries, it would not be a place I would be inclined to visit. Normally after finding or not finding the cache I spend a few minutes walking through the site and reading some of the remembrances and names. It gives me a real sense of history and a feel for the people and families who walked and lived in the area before I happened along.

 

I do not think it is disrespectful to place a cache in a cemetary but quite the opposite. These sites are often deserted and many of its inhabitants are forgotten by the living. I would like to think that by taking the time to visit and read some of the grave sites and ponder who these people may have been, shows respect for the people who built my country, town or city and enjoyed it before my time.

 

I would like to think that maybe 100 years from now someone would read my tombstone and ponder for a few moments who I might of been. Respectfully remembering these people, to me honors their time on earth.

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I like old cemeteries very much. I've spent many a peaceful Sunday afternoon walking the old grounds and reading the stones. I've found a few cemetery caches so far and enjoyed my visits in each one. There is a small, hidden cemetery not far from my house that was founded by my Gr-Gr-Gr-Grandfather in 1851. Eventually I would like to place a cache there. I think a non-trading cache that contained a written history of the burial ground and neighborhood would be pretty interesting. Quite honestly, I would not have any qualms about placing a very unobtrusive and tasteful cache within the perimeter of a suitably aged burial plot, if I myself was the owner of the plot.

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My wife I recently did a cemetery cache in our area (GCPQ2H). We were concerned about doing it, but recognized the cache owners name and knew that it would be done in appropriate manner. The cache was actually a puzzle which used information for the grave marker of a child the cache own lost, it was well done and the physical container was away from of the grave but within the cemetery. I think in this case it was a way for him to remember his lost child and others who have lost young children. It well done, and moving. I think it can be appropriate if it is done the right way.

Edited by bafl01
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We have been helping add to the Illinois Spirit Quest Series & now we have also started doing 'photo requests' for gravestones people are trying to locate on another site. It's a great combination with caching. We get to search for a cache and locate an ancestor's grave for someone else at the same time. :rolleyes:

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My only concern is that passers-by might wonder what you're up to, traipsing around in a historic cemetery. Modern ones, well, people visit those normally anyhow.

 

 

I would not worry too much about what passers by might wonder if you are in a historic cemetery. Non-cachers visit the historic ones all the time for genealogy research. I belong to a site where people send requests for photos of stones in cemeteries around me and I know that a lot of non-cachers belong to the same site so folks are in them a lot more than some may think.

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My only concern is that passers-by might wonder what you're up to, traipsing around in a historic cemetery. Modern ones, well, people visit those normally anyhow.

 

 

I would not worry too much about what passers by might wonder if you are in a historic cemetery. Non-cachers visit the historic ones all the time for genealogy research. I belong to a site where people send requests for photos of stones in cemeteries around me and I know that a lot of non-cachers belong to the same site so folks are in them a lot more than some may think.

 

This is a good point. In my genealogy research I've spent huge amounts of time in old cemeteries, slowly walking up and down the rows, reading every stone. I also conducted readings of two historic cemeteries, writing down every scrap of information on every marker on the grounds; which had me spend several days practically crawling through the cemetery for hours at a time with a clipboard and camera. Not once has anybody questioned my activities. Old cemeteries are great places to visit just for the fun of it.

 

--- Edited to clarify that my signature is just a bit of morbid humour and has nothing whatsover to do with my cemetery activities. Whew.

Edited by atmospherium
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I understand what you are saying. I was mostly concernd about the impact around the area. There is a real nice flag pole and stone seats near this cache that would be a great spot for a small cache, but now that I think about it I would say it is too close to the other cache in the wooded area or the cache placer would have chosen that spot. The cache placer is a very considerate person and would not disrecpect anyone on purpose. I have a better understanding on cemetary caches now thanks to all of the geocachers that shared their opinion with me, and as for the person that said that I'm just nuts? Well, I walk around in the woods wearing camo with a hiking stick, GPS and a camera. Sorry, but you did'nt get no cherry! Ya'll have fun now, ya hear?

 

Thanks again for your opinions.

 

"I have a better understanding on cemetary caches now thanks to all of the geocachers that shared their opinion with me"

 

Very well put. Like I said earlier, it's is a matter of opinion. Our attitude toward cemeteries was probably formed when we were kids and like everything else we all think differently. Also, like other caches, poor placement can adversely impact the environment and that is the worst offense of all! Thanks for starting this most interesting thread and just skip over the personal stuff. It always seems to happen. :rolleyes:

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so who besides me is thinking of having a small hollowed out space in their tombstone for a cache? Question is who would maintain it???

 

I happen to like cemetery caches, but I wouldn't do one like this personally. I don't want to be doing anything that looks like I'm messing with a tombstone, three's enough problems with vandalism in cemetery's that I don't want anyone thinking I'm involved with that.

 

Here in Michigan we have a lot of old, small cemeteries. It's not that unusual to wander through one and see tombstones dated from 1820 to 2009. It's an interesting cross-section of history. One I visited the other day, many of the names on the stones matched the name of the nearby road.

 

That said, I've driven away from a lot of cemetery caches because there were people in the cemetery and I didn't want to disturb them. It's one thing to poke around a large cemetery with someone on the other end of it, but with a smaller one, I just don't want to get in the way.

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I have my own cache in a cemetary but it is away from any of the graves so it's pretty safe and it also has a very nice view.

 

Hey AlabamaRambler. How do you people have the guts to lay down in a collapsed grave. Just think. There is someone else lying underneath you.

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Hey AlabamaRambler. How do you people have the guts to lay down in a collapsed grave. Just think. There is someone else lying underneath you.

You've been watching too many movies... they won't grab you and drag you down! ;):D

 

Actually they're long gone. Burial practices in Alabama historically were often just wrapping the body in a cloth and laying it in a shallow grave covered with rocks, at most they made a wooden casket. Either way whatever used to be there has long ago done the dust-to-dust thing and the ravages of animals and weather have reduced these sites to just a depression in the ground.

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I have no problem geocaching in a cemetery. Others have stated that it is a place of respect and a memorial to those that have gone before. Yes, that is true. However, cemeteries can also be places to learn of our past and meet those that have helped to shape our country. Geocachers, on the whole are respectful of the locations found in cemeteries.

 

I am aware that there are several large, older cemeteries here in Ohio that stage events throughout the year. For example, Green Lawn Cemetery, in Columbus just held events honoring Civil War members, WWII members, and have a Birder's Breakfast scheduled for July. I know that other cemeteries that offer tours of famous local graves or flower and tree walks.

 

it is, in the end, up to the individual cacher but, if the cache is placed in an out of the way location and the hunters are mindful of where they are, I have no problem with cemetery caches.

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I don't really mind cemetery caches so long as they're respectfully done, as stated numerous times. One of my first finds (#6) was located in a cemetery about a five minute drive from my sister's house. It was in the cemetery but it was placed a good distance from any graves. I'm glad the cacher placed it there as it was one of the many places that, if not for geocaching, I likely would have never visited. I paid my respects after finding it and headed on.

 

I've actually even thought about placing one in a cemetery myself in a very close cemetery to my house. I can definitely understand the reasoning some people have when they talk of 'if nothing more than to bring people out there to actually visit and pay respects'

 

For example, there's this small, presumably old cemetery literally down the street from my house. Maybe a two minute drive. The sad thing is that the cemetery isn't THAT taken care of or visited. What I mean is that very rarely do I see any visitors there and the grass will often times become overgrown. It's usually not until the grass starts overtaking the graves (and I'm talking about the tombstones themselves) that the city cuts the grass. I think it's sad.

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I enjoy finding caches in cemeteries. We usually spend a few extra minutes looking around at the gravestones. One of the best we did was GC5D33 - Mourning Lady in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

 

There are some amazing mausoleums, and it was really interesting to see some gravesites of some of New York's famous people. We liked it so much that we took a day off and went back and spent a couple hours there. The cemetery wants people to visit and has maps showing the graves of all the famous people buried there.

 

We did a cemetery cache once that we didn't like. It was actually on a person's grave, attached to some ivy overhanging the stone. I was happy to see that one get archived.

Edited by Skippermark
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I would like to hear input from fellow geocachers on this matter, thanks.

I don't have any problems with a geocache in a cemetery. (Even after "The Recent Unpleasantness.") My opinion is any geocache in a cemetery should be as respectful as any other visit to the same site.

 

I think one's outlook on a geocache in a cemetery dovetails with their outlook on geocaching. I see geocaching as a hobby of exploration and adventure. Visiting any interesting site is part of it, including cemeteries.

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My view of caching and cemetarys is go for it. There can be a lot of history learned by caching there. I recently visited a cache in Northern Oklahoma at a cemetary and the cache was placed near a grave stone of a gentleman who was born into slavery in the 1850's and served breakfast to the famous Dalton gang before thier ill famed robbery in Coffeyville, KS.

 

I also perfer them because rural one can be very secluded and quiet. Rob

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I think one's outlook on a geocache in a cemetery dovetails with their outlook on geocaching. I see geocaching as a hobby of exploration and adventure. Visiting any interesting site is part of it, including cemeteries.

 

I think that's a keen observation. From what I've seen, those who look at geocaching as a game where the point is to rack up smileys tend to be a bit uncomfortable with cemetery caches. On the other hand those of us

who see geocaching as a tool to explore our world tend to really enjoy cemetery caches.

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I think one's outlook on a geocache in a cemetery dovetails with their outlook on geocaching. I see geocaching as a hobby of exploration and adventure. Visiting any interesting site is part of it, including cemeteries.

 

I think that's a keen observation. From what I've seen, those who look at geocaching as a game where the point is to rack up smileys tend to be a bit uncomfortable with cemetery caches. On the other hand those of us

who see geocaching as a tool to explore our world tend to really enjoy cemetery caches.

 

Not sure... from what I've seen lately, the number of cemetery caches are exploding phenomenally. And while some are multis which take you on a tour of historical/interesting figures, the majority seem to be grab 'n go micros - perfect for the smiley-collector.

I do cemetery caches and most of the time enjoy doing them. I usually take a walk through the cemetery afterwards to look at the really old stones and interesting structures. But I still much prefer the hikes on nature trails and in parks and conservation areas.

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As a retired history teacher, I have to add my two cents worth.

 

When I was teaching I sometimes took my classes to a local cemetary to plot a section of graves, with info about dates of biryh and death. We would then look at local documents (newspapers, etc) to note causes of death, epidemics that wiped out all the children in families, etc. The students came to view cemetaries as rich historical sources . . . the same as i do.

 

When I was in grad school a professor was doing research on cemetaries, noting that different thnic groups had significantly different cemetaries.

 

If cemetaries were only for the dead, there would be no use for tombstones. I personally like cemetary caches, because most of them enhance my knowledge of the history of the area.

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We here in the Washington Court House, Ohio area have a history teacher, Mr. Paul La Rue, and his students, that have received national attention for their history/cemetery project at the Washington Cemetery. Also, there is a cache located in this cemetery!

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We are currently working on a series of caches that takes you to all the cemeteries in the county. Now before you jump to conclusions, thinking this is disrespectful, we have made sure that the cache locations are not located anywhere where damage is possible. Mainly, we have stuck with trees in the cemetery. Our trip yesterday took us to 15 different cemeteries, and we both really enjoyed walking around each one, looking at dates, names, and gravestones that really caught our eye. We have also put a huge disclaimer on the caches to encourage others to be extremely respectful and follow strict rules. Cemeteries can be a beautiful thing, and we hope that our series introduces a whole new world to our area.

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I've found dozens of cemetery caches over the years. I'm plenty comfortable inside one, but not too happy when the cache is placed in close proximity to a grave site. I prefer the caches that explain a little history and help me understand why the hider wanted to bring me to this spot.

 

Most of the cemetery hides in this area tend to be offset multis that require a little data gathering from the stone and then lead to the container placed just outside the perimeter.

 

One of my favorite caching days ever was spent touring the most well known cemetery in the country-Arlington National Cemetery. There are a number of old school virtual caches there that are very well done. I don't want to give anything away, but for most of them simply visiting one famous grave site isn't adequate. You will gather some info there and then wander off to a less popular area and discover something very interesting that is related to the first waypoint, but is rarely visited.

 

There is one that is an offset multi with a container outside the grounds, but we munged the math and never made it to the wrong place 12 miles away that weekend. :P

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I recently placed a cache in a cemetery for the first time. It is a small, rural cemetery that hasn't had a burial in it since 1987 and will likely not have another. It rests on land that was donated to the community by my great great grandfather, who is buried there. About half of the burials are related to me and the others were local community members. I placed the cache in the back corner in the trees at least 50' from the nearest grave. I placed the cache with the specific intent for people to visit the area, think about what life may have been like for the people who used to live there, and enjoy a quiet place where you might not see more than a couple of dozen vehicles go by a day.

 

I don't find it disrespectful at all to my ancestors that people visit. In their day, people would often visit cemeteries and have picnics on the grass. To add a little flavor to the cache and the area, I wrote in the cache description the story of my great great grandfather's capture at the Battle of Chickamauga and his subsequent escape and return to Ohio several years before he moved to Kansas.

 

All that being said, I did once find a micro stuck under a stone in a no longer used cemetery here in KC. I did find that one disrespectful.

 

Basically, placement is the issue.

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I placed a cache at the cemetery where Jimi Hendrix is burried. Although I don't mind searching for cemetery caches, I chose to place mine on the property line, within view of Jimi, a short walk away. My favorite cemetery cache is the virtual one where Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee are burried.

 

Recently someone decided to leave a racist sticker and some bullets in my Jimi Hendrix Memorial cache and it made me happy that I didn't place the cache "at" his grave...

Edited by moonweed
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I recently placed a cache in a cemetery for the first time. It is a small, rural cemetery that hasn't had a burial in it since 1987 and will likely not have another. It rests on land that was donated to the community by my great great grandfather, who is buried there. About half of the burials are related to me and the others were local community members. I placed the cache in the back corner in the trees at least 50' from the nearest grave. I placed the cache with the specific intent for people to visit the area, think about what life may have been like for the people who used to live there, and enjoy a quiet place where you might not see more than a couple of dozen vehicles go by a day.

 

I don't find it disrespectful at all to my ancestors that people visit. In their day, people would often visit cemeteries and have picnics on the grass. To add a little flavor to the cache and the area, I wrote in the cache description the story of my great great grandfather's capture at the Battle of Chickamauga and his subsequent escape and return to Ohio several years before he moved to Kansas.

 

Basically, placement is the issue.

This is excellent, because it's the exact type of cache that I'm planning for a small rural cemetery that my Great Great Great Grandfather founded in 1851. The cemetery is still active, so my cache will be placed on the perimeter away from recent burials. The container itself will contain a written history of the cemetery and local community, and even a few photo images from the 1800's.

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Around here there are several old graveyards hidden away here and there that are never visited. Placing a cache, respectfully of course, brings people to them and offers the finder a chance to learn a bit about the area's history. That too is part of the fun of the sport. If you are running in with blinders on to find the cache then running out again without having experienced the environment then you are missing out.

 

So put me down as it is ok provided you have permission and it is respectful.

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Here's my two cents worth - I think it is disrespectful to ban all manner of enjoyment from the vicinity of a cemetery. Where is it written that once you are dead, there can be nothing but quiet and solitude around you? I wouldn't want my bones anywhere near a place like that.

 

I suspect the people crying about disrespect are more likely just afraid to admit that the place creeps them out. What better way to honor those long gone than to bring visitors in to pause and reflect at their tombstones?

 

Traditionally on Decoration Day (now Memorial Day), people would go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of their loved ones. It was often an all-day event - people brought picnic lunches, and there was fun and games for all, especially the kiddies. No one thought that was disrespectful. If anything, it was disrespectful not to participate. The spirits in those long-abandoned cemeteries probably miss the annual celebrations.

 

If cemeteries creep you out, don't go there. The rest of us will honor the dead by being there.

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Here's my two cents worth - I think it is disrespectful to ban all manner of enjoyment from the vicinity of a cemetery. Where is it written that once you are dead, there can be nothing but quiet and solitude around you? I wouldn't want my bones anywhere near a place like that.

 

I suspect the people crying about disrespect are more likely just afraid to admit that the place creeps them out. What better way to honor those long gone than to bring visitors in to pause and reflect at their tombstones?

 

Traditionally on Decoration Day (now Memorial Day), people would go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of their loved ones. It was often an all-day event - people brought picnic lunches, and there was fun and games for all, especially the kiddies. No one thought that was disrespectful. If anything, it was disrespectful not to participate. The spirits in those long-abandoned cemeteries probably miss the annual celebrations.

 

If cemeteries creep you out, don't go there. The rest of us will honor the dead by being there.

 

I think how we fear the dead shows a lot about our culture.

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Zolgar has weird opinions to be warned.

 

Cemeteries mean nothing to him. There are empty husks in boxes buried 6 feet under ground. Big whoop! They're frelling DEAD. They don't care.

 

This does not mean Zolgar finds it acceptable to tromp willynilly through a cemetery and desecrate the area. Zolgar understands that these places mean a lot to those who have friends and family burried there, and thus he does not wish to disrespect these individuals. This leaves Zolgar with more respect for a cemetery than most would expect.

 

He does not, however, find cemetery caches to be disrespectful (in general). Quite the opposite he tends to see them as a good way to bring someone to the site.

Zolgar does not, though, support generic micros in a modern cemetery just placed for the sake of placing a cache in a cemetery.

Zolgar however strongly supports caches places in old cemeteries that history has forgotten.

He also supports caches places at cemeteries to draw special attention to certain individuals.

Though he does regret the fact that many cachers are just "There's a cache here!" and fail to notice the reason for the location.

 

Most importantly though, Zolgar supports each cachers right to choose how they cache. He will likely not place, or seek, a generic cemetery cache. But he will not tell people they cannot, or should not be able to, do them.

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