Hiding In Cemeteries?

[VE7RJT]

Just starting hunting caches in the last little while - haven't found any yet, but those I've been looking for seem to have been micros, which I'm finding might not be the best ones to start with. I'm not giving up, though. Gonna find as many as I can (140 listed within 10km of my house, so...)

 

I just hid my first cache today, and am waiting for approval. One thing that I was wondering, though. Has anyone ever hidden or heard of a cache hidden in a cemetery? I didn't hide my cache in one of the local cemeteries, but with four of them in the area, am wondering if this is something that's somewhat common, or is it frowned upon?

 

Any information that anyone could provide would be very greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

7RJT

Edited October 20, 2009 by VE7RJT

[+JoesBar]

I don't know where you live, but if you come to northeast Ohio, you'll find lots of caches in cemeteries. I'd go so far as to say that you can't pass a cemetery that doesn't have a cache.

You should make sure that local laws don't prohibit caches in cemeteries.

 

Also, read this tread: cemetery hides

Edited October 20, 2009 by JoesBar

[+StarBrand]

Some cachers do heavily frown upon cemetary caches but nothing in the world "makes" them go after such caches either. There is some amount of sensitivity to hiding a cache directly in the cemetary (big flap in South Carolina a few years ago). It is actually quite common to find a cache hidden around a cemetray or within them but almost never directly on the markers. Permission and local rules is the key here.

[+briansnat]

Cemetery hides are controversial. Many love them, some hate them or find them disrespectful. Judging from numerous threads on this subject I think the majority of geocachers feel that its OK as long as you don't hide the cache near graves and an inactive, historic cemetery is a better choice than an active cemetery where searchers may encounter mourners.

[+wkmccall]

Just starting hunting caches in the last little while - haven't found any yet, but those I've been looking for seem to have been micros, which I'm finding might not be the best ones to start with. I'm not giving up, though. Gonna find as many as I can (140 listed within 10km of my house, so...)

 

I just hid my first cache today, and am waiting for approval. One thing that I was wondering, though. Has anyone ever hidden or heard of a cache hidden in a cemetery? I didn't hide my cache in one of the local cemeteries, but with four of them in the area, am wondering if this is something that's somewhat common, or is it frowned upon?

 

Any information that anyone could provide would be very greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

7RJT

 

Cemetery caches are one of my favorites to find - all the history and great headstones / monuments.

I have a couple caches BY cemeteries, Not in them.

[+Shelle518]

Cemetery caches like any other cache types and sizes, have those that like them and those that hate them. We have one cache at a loved ones grave, as a way of involving him in our caching.

[+ltlpink]

I have yet to do my first "HIDE". However I Love finding caches in cemeteries. They are generally well maintained with no poison ivy, tiggers or chicks. And they require very little rock climbing(I am 71 years old) or signal loss on the GPSr caused by heavy foliage. Usually fairly easy access and easy to find.

ltlpink

[Contra1971]

i see nothing wrong with them as well

 

I say just dont deface any grave markers on disturb any LIVING family members space and all is well

 

i have found 2 in graveyards so far (only looked for 2)

[+dexter-cacher]

My first find in geocaching was a cemetary cache. I have logged a couple since, both in and near cemetaries. Yea they are controversial but as long as your visit is respectful I dont see a problem. Question is would you ever visit a cemetary if there wasn't a cache..? If you can say yes, I think caches are a great way to draw people in and see some of the history and heritage of that particular area. Just remember to be respectful, check local rules and obviously if there are mourners or a funeral ceremony taking place, add it to your "do it later" list.

[chockielou]

Recently found my 1st cemetery geocache. On a bench right beside my uncle who gave his life in Vietnam and my Grandpa who died on Christmas morning when I was 16. Directly in front was a recent grave of a 4 year old boy with some of his little toys laid around. Seemed like I was intruding for the wrong reason. I'm new, but I think I'll pass on the cemetery finds.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Or, you could just search for cemetery (or cemetary) cache, and read the many threads on the subject!

As Brian states: Many find the local cemetery to be a great place to fly kites and have a barbecue, and geocache. Many others find caches there to be very disrespectful. I'd call the ratio more even than Brian seems to think.

I think the proper resolution to this dichotomy would be to require a 'cemetery' attribute. Then, those of us who do not like tromping on graves would have an easy way to ignore those types of caches!

[+popokiiti]

At the last second when driving by a cemetery cache today, I spied a fellow cacher (saw the GPSr) on the phone...getting hints maybe? That cache is a micro, cleverly hidden in a knot hole in a tree just outside the fence. Our local cemetery and old church has a virtual cache in it....but a long way from most of the newer graves.

If there had been a funeral in progress that day, we would have left. For me, caching can be respect of the environment and of cemeteries. Just a matter of personal choice whether to do the latter caches.

[kent.babcock]

I found one today in a beautiful old cemetery near my home. Being as I'm a newbie, I found an easy one (1/1) and got it on my way home from work.

 

As I mentioned in the log, I have great-grandparents buried there, and I saw no disrespect to the departed or their families in hiding a cache without disturbing monuments. I found it not at all inconsistent with visiting a couple family plots.

[+bittsen]

At the last second when driving by a cemetery cache today, I spied a fellow cacher (saw the GPSr) on the phone...getting hints maybe? That cache is a micro, cleverly hidden in a knot hole in a tree just outside the fence. Our local cemetery and old church has a virtual cache in it....but a long way from most of the newer graves.

If there had been a funeral in progress that day, we would have left. For me, caching can be respect of the environment and of cemeteries. Just a matter of personal choice whether to do the latter caches.

 

Why didn't you stop and help him out?

[+FunnyNose]

If cache placements was respectful I don't see a problem with them.

 

It's when they are disrespectful that causes problems

 

 

A not so respectful placement.

[Globemaster1]

If cache placements was respectful I don't see a problem with them.

 

It's when they are disrespectful that causes problems

 

 

A not so respectful placement.

_____________________________________________________________

The 'not so respectful placement' here is the headstone! The cache is fine.

[+theosus]

Some cachers do heavily frown upon cemetary caches but nothing in the world "makes" them go after such caches either. There is some amount of sensitivity to hiding a cache directly in the cemetary (big flap in South Carolina a few years ago). It is actually quite common to find a cache hidden around a cemetray or within them but almost never directly on the markers. Permission and local rules is the key here.

 

As a South Carolina cacher - I would say tread lightly. The problem caused such a stir geocaching in certain places was almost made illegal by state law (cemeteries being one of the places). Someone was putting stuffed animals (travel bugs?) on headstones and taking pictures, generally being disrepectful. Most of the cemetary caches I found were very subtle - micros under benches, and caches at the edge of said lots in trees, or along fences - nothing deep in a cemetary requiring searching amoung tombstones.

 

If you hide in a cemetary I would suggest something of that sort - with a really straightforward hint, so people arent poking where they shouldnt be.

[+eflyguy]

We have one here (5-5-5 - GCNRRR - if you want to look it up) that is there with permission, makes a point of asking people to respect the area, and is placed off in the woods at the back of the property.

 

We have several relatives buried there. In no way do we find this cache disrespectful..

..a

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

> Hiding In Cemeteries?

 

Afterall.............. it is Halloween isn't it?

 

Edit: (almost)

Edited October 30, 2009 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+Okiebryan]

My 11 yo daughter asked me if we could go night caching for rural historical cemeteries on Halloween night. I think that is much better than going trick or treating...

 

I'm searching for likely candidates right now.

[+griswell]

There actually are two right up the road from us in cemeteries. One leads you from one grave to another until you get to the final coords, and the other is hidden by the grave of a city founder. I say that as long as you respect the gravesites, that cemetery hides can be fun and educational.

[+Headhardhat]

There are tons of cemetery hides out there. Most are done with a good sense of dignity to the area. Some, not so much.

 

I currently have a very cool cemetery hide myself and have received nothing but nice comments to it's Uniqueness. Its GC1NK95 "At Peace and Not To Be Forgotten" if interested. It is a cemetery that has for some reason been given up and neglected. The woods has taken it back and is quite a haunting walk to see.

 

-HHH

[+KarJar]

We have them, and greatly enjoy them for the uniqueness of the markers is wonderful to see the quality of technology in the old markers, and the new ones as well.

 

Just respectful is all that is necessary, and abide by the state laws like ours to visit only in daylight hours.

 

Go for it!

[+SRL&CAL]

We have a brand new cemetery in our town. I bet there are less than half a dozen graves so far and many of us "locals" have purchased plots. There are a few very young trees and one of these quickly attracted a small geocache. I think it is tastefully disguised and the cache description urges cachers to be respectful and only search when the cemetery is otherwise unoccupied. I have no problem with this. I hope someone will enjoy this activity when I find myself lying nearby!

[+Anno Lynke]

I have been caching less than a year

I have found about a dozen caches in cemetaries

only one I thought was disrespectful and it is no longer there

I found one cach in an old almost forgotten cemetary where the owner

asked that anyone that knew of other old cemetaries would register them with a group that tracked

old cemetaries so they wouldnt get lost I thought that was respectful

[+theosus]

We have a brand new cemetery in our town. I bet there are less than half a dozen graves so far and many of us "locals" have purchased plots. There are a few very young trees and one of these quickly attracted a small geocache. I think it is tastefully disguised and the cache description urges cachers to be respectful and only search when the cemetery is otherwise unoccupied. I have no problem with this. I hope someone will enjoy this activity when I find myself lying nearby!

 

what about having a cache hidey-hole carved into your tombstone? Even better. Nothing like being a cache site....Of course you could have your surviving relatives carve "ftf" in the back side of the marker.

[beatrixkiddo]

Just starting hunting caches in the last little while - haven't found any yet, but those I've been looking for seem to have been micros, which I'm finding might not be the best ones to start with. I'm not giving up, though. Gonna find as many as I can (140 listed within 10km of my house, so...)

 

I just hid my first cache today, and am waiting for approval. One thing that I was wondering, though. Has anyone ever hidden or heard of a cache hidden in a cemetery? I didn't hide my cache in one of the local cemeteries, but with four of them in the area, am wondering if this is something that's somewhat common, or is it frowned upon?

 

Any information that anyone could provide would be very greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

7RJT

 

I LOVE caching in cemeteries, as long as the caches and cachers are respectful to the "tenants". We have cached in several small local cemeteries that we wouldn't have neven known existed if it werent for geocaching. We usually end up spend quite a long time in the cemeteries after finding the cache. We look at the headstones and take in the history, we also will spend some time CITO-ing so we can leave it nicer than we found it. It's kinda funny but, I always have a good feeling after caching at a cemetery.

[DannyCaffeine]

I found a cache in a cemetary, it was really cool. I like that it was quiet and peaceful.

 

As long as the grounds keepers are ok with it and cachers are respectful to the markers and buried people. (Wait a minute that does not look anything like an earth cache...)

[+ADTCacheur]

People definitely hide graveyard caches. I DNF'd one a few days ago... I searched the series name but couldn't figure out which of the 40 it was so I left it at that. Wish I could've logged the DNF to let people know there's a chance it was missing...

[jerryrig]

I would say if there were 20 caches around me hidden....15 of them are in a cementry....a lot of the reason around here is that we have some neat cementrys that have some people from the cival ware buried there.....in fact...the fist cache that I went to look for with some friends (and did not find yet by the way) was in a cementry right down the street from my old house and I did not even know it was there....it was one of the first for our area....go figure...it's not the cache a lot of times taht is the treasure....it's the places you go to and the people you go with.

[+austeven4]

I've found a few around here. Some girls don't like to go into cemetaries for personal reasons so they're not going to want to cache in them. But I know of some good caches in historic cemetaries. I enjoy seeing the old old old head stones and seeing the war veterans. I always make it a point to stop and pay my respect whenever I see a Vet emblem on a headstone.

[BlueRajah]

I would stay away from the graves.. The perimeters are usually landscaped and you avoid issues with others. Make sure you have permission, and that there are not legal issues, and give it a shot. They are loved and hated. Just be ready for both comments.

[+d+n.s]

I wouldn't find it offensive, but I'm curious how many cemetary caches actually have permission to be placed in said cemetaries.

I would imagine most land managers and owners of said places would say, "What? No." if asked.

As for placing them on actual graves, this would be clearly offensive IMO and even more difficult to obtain permission.

 

MAYBE a historical cemetary might allow permission, but I can't see an active one wanting to touch that with a 100' pole. Am I overestimating the sensitivity of these folks?

[Allison Wunderland]

A LEGAL issue here. Cemeteries are Private Property in ALL instances. Accordingly, per the "posted rules" you need to get permission to place a cache. Most cemetery associations have very specific rules about what can and cannot be placed on their property.

 

And let us note here, state and federal law is very serious about "trespassing" in cemeteries.

 

"Abandoned" cemeteries present their own issues. If they're not maintained, the traffic generated by cache searches may be seriously detrimental. -- Paths and trampled vegetation. Even when the cemetery is "abandoned" it's STILL Private Property.

 

ALL cemeteries are "historical sites." That's the intrinsic nature of cemeteries, to preserve history and the memory of those interred. The geocaching.com site has specific rules about caches on "historical sites." The rule is "don't do it."

 

Some empathy here: Imagine YOUR loved one is interred in a cemetery and your finding a "geo-cache" while visiting their grave. It'd upset me.

 

AND, it's private property in every instance.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Allison Wunderland

[Allison Wunderland]

If cache placements was respectful I don't see a problem with them.

 

It's when they are disrespectful that causes problems

 

 

A not so respectful placement.

_____________________________________________________________

The 'not so respectful placement' here is the headstone! The cache is fine.

 

Hold on just a second here! From the apparent age of the headstone, it was likely placed and a tree was planted on the grave. This is a very common practice in old cemeteries. As the tree grows, over the course of centuries, it displaces the headstone. Caretakers and/or family likely have relocated the stone in the midst of the tree in order to mark the grave.

 

In New England cemeteries, (historical Boston) the stones get move, rearranged, relocated over the centuries. That's the nature of stones and graves in a crowded historical cemetery.

 

This particular cache is a travesty, and it's trespassing.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

A LEGAL issue here. Cemeteries are Private Property in ALL instances. Accordingly, per the "posted rules" you need to get permission to place a cache. Most cemetery associations have very specific rules about what can and cannot be placed on their property.

 

And let us note here, state and federal law is very serious about "trespassing" in cemeteries.

 

"Abandoned" cemeteries present their own issues. If they're not maintained, the traffic generated by cache searches may be seriously detrimental. -- Paths and trampled vegetation. Even when the cemetery is "abandoned" it's STILL Private Property.

 

ALL cemeteries are "historical sites." That's the intrinsic nature of cemeteries, to preserve history and the memory of those interred. The geocaching.com site has specific rules about caches on "historical sites." The rule is "don't do it."

 

Some empathy here: Imagine YOUR loved one is interred in a cemetery and your finding a "geo-cache" while visiting their grave. It'd upset me.

 

AND, it's private property in every instance.

 

Many cemeteries are owned by municipalities.

 

Many cemeteries are owned by the Federal government.

 

Not all cemeteries are private property in every instance.

 

Most cemeteries probably have rules about what activities are permitted on the property.

[+woody_and_pip]

I have been thinking for a while about placing a cache in a cemetery and I think it would be highly respectful. It is an old pioneer cemetery out around where I grew up. No one "new" has been buried there in over 50 years. The county paid a huge sum in renovating the cemetery and preserving it and I think that the more people to come and see this monument to a bygone era, the better.

[+Team_Searchgeo]

We were out caching today and had one in a Older Cemetery. It is no longer a active cemetery but probably more of a historical site. We did the cache but had no idea it was in the cemetery before we started. It was actually really awesome to walk through the grave yard and check out the grave stones. Many of the grave stones were from the 1800's with several being from the civil war!!. We payed our respect and found the cache and moved on.

[+gpsblake]

SC geocacher here. Agree 100 percent with tehosus, I remember when all that happened here in SC.

 

I like the history of graveyards but placement should be away from any grave, any landscaping etc... And I mean pretty far away. If anyone is at the cemetery, just skip the cache and come back later. Very disrespectful to someone remembering a loved one while you are searching around for a game.

[+Trucker Lee]

If cache placements was respectful I don't see a problem with them.

 

It's when they are disrespectful that causes problems

 

 

A not so respectful placement.

_____________________________________________________________

The 'not so respectful placement' here is the headstone! The cache is fine.

 

Hold on just a second here! From the apparent age of the headstone, it was likely placed and a tree was planted on the grave. This is a very common practice in old cemeteries. As the tree grows, over the course of centuries, it displaces the headstone. Caretakers and/or family likely have relocated the stone in the midst of the tree in order to mark the grave.

 

In New England cemeteries, (historical Boston) the stones get move, rearranged, relocated over the centuries. That's the nature of stones and graves in a crowded historical cemetery.

 

This particular cache is a travesty, and it's trespassing.

My impression was that the marker was placed between the trees for safe keeping, perhaps by a groundskeeper so it wouldn't get run over by a mower, and the cache set later. Replacing or repairing markers is often not in a budget for a cemetery. Still, not a very imaginative hide.

 

Years ago, cemeteries were very often gathering spots for family reunions/work days. A family would gather, clean up around the ancestors, meet and eat with each other, then the kids would learn about family history while walking around with parents and others. {"Here is Uncle Ben, remember him? He had such a sense of humor, remember when he tied the mule to the outhouse while Aunt Susy was inside?"}

 

I have found more than a few cemetery caches, and really enjoyed the ones that brought a history lesson into it. I own one, having adopted it when previous owner couldn't maintain, and see nothing wrong with them as long as one is respectful and considerate if family is visiting the "quiet kinfolk."

[+Team Cotati]

"and see nothing wrong with them as long as one is respectful and considerate if family is visiting the "quiet kinfolk."

 

How about just being respectful, whether or not 'family' is visiting?

 

And of course don't forget to make certain that you have obtained permission from a responsible party. This does not include getting 'permission' from a groundskeeper. I don't even know how you'd obtain permission from a groundskeeper.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Team Cotati

[+dbrierley]

Some archived cemetery caches:

 

GCKRGW

GC41DB

GCPE53

GCQBNG

[+Chokecherry]

"and see nothing wrong with them as long as one is respectful and considerate if family is visiting the "quiet kinfolk."

 

How about just being respectful, whether or not 'family' is visiting?

 

And of course don't forget to make certain that you have obtained from a responsible party. This does not include getting 'permission' from a groundskeeper. I don't even know how you'd obtain permission from a groundskeeper.

 

Around here if anything is going to happen in a cemetary they all have boards. We have a local abandonded cemetery and just so that weed removal could go on there by a city council person he had to figure out which board had jurisdiction over it and then because it was abandoned he had to go to the state archaeological group etc. None of the discussions involved the groundskeeper, who locally is typically someone who has little ability to give permission for anything.

[BlueRajah]

Cemeteries are a great example of why reviewers have some leeway in their ability to approve or archive based on local laws/customs/sensitivities.

 

Some areas have passed various ordinances to prevent youth from playing games (including adults geocaching) in cemeteries. Many people have been foolish enough to continue to place poorly thought out caches in these locations.

 

We need to be smart. Think before placing. There are many good thoughts here. You should get permission, and even if permission is granted by the old caretaker that spends his days walking about the property, care should be taken in placing a container. Around the outskirts of many cemeteries there is usually a landscaped area. This would be preferable to placing the geocache in the center of a plot in an old bush. Especially because some gps units may be 60+ feet off, with poor hints. This causes people to widen the search, looking in other bushes and trees, wandering across many plots without thought to what they are doing.

 

Some people see a grave as another park/plot of earth. Others hold the locations sacred, and the thought of someone walking across their loved ones grave is rather troubling. Even more so if it is people playing a game.

 

Remember that we were not always as picky about cemetery caches as now. There are no doubt hundreds of caches if not a few thousand located in cemeteries. Many of those were not well thought out.

 

Be sensitive and use your head.

[RITrailhikers]

At one time I did not like cemetery caches. I am not fond of them if they are active cemeteries, however in Rhode Island where we live especially we have a lot of historical cemeteries. The committee that "oversees" them LOVES to get people interested in them! We did one because we have one very close to us and we are the ones that keep the cemetery up (plants, path, cutting back brush) we also did not place in near a grave. This gets a whole new set of people interested in these historical cemeteries which most times would just go unnoticed. If my loved one was buried almost 100 years ago I would WANT people to go visit. Our historical cememteries are not kept up by the state or owned by the state, they are akin to open space. Volunteers like us do all the work if we want it kept up. Ours was a huge trash heap 5 years ago, we never knew there were 5 people buried there. We LOVE when people go visit it. I have not seen one disrespectful geocacher yet!

[RITrailhikers]

I agree, if placing one a person should not have to step on or over a grave to get to the cache. If that is the case then it should not be planted in that cemetery.

 

Cemeteries are a great example of why reviewers have some leeway in their ability to approve or archive based on local laws/customs/sensitivities.

 

Some areas have passed various ordinances to prevent youth from playing games (including adults geocaching) in cemeteries. Many people have been foolish enough to continue to place poorly thought out caches in these locations.

 

We need to be smart. Think before placing. There are many good thoughts here. You should get permission, and even if permission is granted by the old caretaker that spends his days walking about the property, care should be taken in placing a container. Around the outskirts of many cemeteries there is usually a landscaped area. This would be preferable to placing the geocache in the center of a plot in an old bush. Especially because some gps units may be 60+ feet off, with poor hints. This causes people to widen the search, looking in other bushes and trees, wandering across many plots without thought to what they are doing.

 

Some people see a grave as another park/plot of earth. Others hold the locations sacred, and the thought of someone walking across their loved ones grave is rather troubling. Even more so if it is people playing a game.

 

Remember that we were not always as picky about cemetery caches as now. There are no doubt hundreds of caches if not a few thousand located in cemeteries. Many of those were not well thought out.

 

Be sensitive and use your head.

[+DENMONKEY]

I'm new to all this and am yet to go on a hunt but plan to on this coming weekend.

 

Funnily enough I was thinking about hiding a cache at a cemetery where I have family and even to a point where I was considering a hide near my brothers grave (Many years ago at 16) anyway I thought it would be nice to have hunters come to his grave and maybe say hello whilst there

I actually thought it would be a nice gesture and I'm sure he wouldn't have begrudged it.

Still I rethought it and figured there may be some unspoken rule re this one and left it to give it more thought later . I still may go ahead with it and use his name in part of the clue somehow.

Either way I agree with the side of do it, but keep it respectful.

[7rxc]

I'm new to all this and am yet to go on a hunt but plan to on this coming weekend.

 

Funnily enough I was thinking about hiding a cache at a cemetery where I have family and even to a point where I was considering a hide near my brothers grave (Many years ago at 16) anyway I thought it would be nice to have hunters come to his grave and maybe say hello whilst there

I actually thought it would be a nice gesture and I'm sure he wouldn't have begrudged it.

Still I rethought it and figured there may be some unspoken rule re this one and left it to give it more thought later . I still may go ahead with it and use his name in part of the clue somehow.

Either way I agree with the side of do it, but keep it respectful.

 

Many caches have been hidden as multi's / mystery with the cemetery portion being only to obtain the clues to solve the final coordinates which are close by, but not within the grounds itself. This requires nothing but a quiet visit. Probably a good method.

 

Doug 7rxc