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Are cemetery caches acceptable?


scottmcblane

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In the Ohio county where I live, almost every cemetery has a cahce in it (or will have one soon :ph34r: ). Interestingly, I made a one-day stop in Missouri to do some caching and didn't see a single cemetery cache in the area that I was in. I even emailed a Missouri cache owner about it and he said that he had never heard of a cemetery cache.

 

Maybe it is a regional thing.

 

Pros:

-Almost a completely muggle-free zone

-Lots of great hidey spots along the perimeter of the property

-Many are located in remote areas which can be an interesting attraction for cachers

 

Cons:

-Permission... (was a lively topic at our last cacher's meeting in my town)

-Writing (and hoping people read) the web listing description, attributes, and restrictions.

 

It should be noted that almost every single cemetery cache in my area is located along the property perimeter and NEVER on a grave. Most do not even require you to cross graves to get to them.

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We did a virtual cache in a cemetery on the beach last evening, and it was very nice. To claim the cache we had to find a certain stone, and email the CO with two very specific pieces of information about it. It happened that the stone had historical significance to the area, and it was really neat to learn it. There were also other interesting stones/tributes. Here is a picture of one of them.

1615e8dc_d8b9_4024_afdc_5379629cce53.jpg

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We did a virtual cache in a cemetery on the beach last evening, and it was very nice. To claim the cache we had to find a certain stone, and email the CO with two very specific pieces of information about it. It happened that the stone had historical significance to the area, and it was really neat to learn it. There were also other interesting stones/tributes. Here is a picture of one of them.

1615e8dc_d8b9_4024_afdc_5379629cce53.jpg

 

CITO??? :unsure:

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We did a virtual cache in a cemetery on the beach last evening, and it was very nice. To claim the cache we had to find a certain stone, and email the CO with two very specific pieces of information about it. It happened that the stone had historical significance to the area, and it was really neat to learn it. There were also other interesting stones/tributes. Here is a picture of one of them.

1615e8dc_d8b9_4024_afdc_5379629cce53.jpg

 

CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

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I'm not against a cache in a cemetery if there's a cultural/patrimonial value behind it, such as in the Lachaise cemetery in Paris where lots of people visit it as a tourist attraction.

However, I don't feel comfortable caching in a cemetery in general. I think it's a question of respect, same with religious buildings.

I'm not religious myself but I respect those who are and I believe such places aren't supposed to be a playground (yes, geocaching IS a game).

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I'm not against a cache in a cemetery if there's a cultural/patrimonial value behind it, such as in the Lachaise cemetery in Paris where lots of people visit it as a tourist attraction.

However, I don't feel comfortable caching in a cemetery in general. I think it's a question of respect, same with religious buildings.

I'm not religious myself but I respect those who are and I believe such places aren't supposed to be a playground (yes, geocaching IS a game).

 

I agree with you. I don't mind if its like historical. (As I quite like that, I've gone on ww2 tours where you visit the graves, go through trenches etc) but to just go into a cemetery to dig around I don't think it's respectful. If the caches I went to close to the cemetery had been in them I wouldn't have found them.

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CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Actually in this case, that is how this one was. It is actually how people have chosen to salute the man, who must have had a good sense of humor.

 

This is not the stone that was the virtual, just one in the vicinity. Another was adorned with a shot glass and a mushroom, another had a belt on it. Others had seashells.

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CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Actually in this case, that is how this one was. It is actually how people have chosen to salute the man, who must have had a good sense of humor.

 

This is not the stone that was the virtual, just one in the vicinity. Another was adorned with a shot glass and a mushroom, another had a belt on it. Others had seashells.

Well that's cool and even better that they've been left and not taken.

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I think physical caches should be outside the burial areas (defined by the fence when there is one), but caching bringing people to cemeteries is fine. Offsets are great for places like that.

 

It's easy enough to bring people to an interesting place without offending anyone or dealing with permission problems.

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We did a virtual cache in a cemetery on the beach last evening, and it was very nice. To claim the cache we had to find a certain stone, and email the CO with two very specific pieces of information about it. It happened that the stone had historical significance to the area, and it was really neat to learn it. There were also other interesting stones/tributes. Here is a picture of one of them.

1615e8dc_d8b9_4024_afdc_5379629cce53.jpg

 

CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Those items are tributes to the deceased. Visit any historic cemetery in New Orleans, for instance, and you'll see plenty of offerings left for the dead.

 

Sometimes it's difficult to determine whether items are tributes or just trash, but if in doubt, I strongly suggest you leave them alone.

 

--Larry

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Here's an example of a graveside offering I shot a few years ago in New Orleans' St. Louis #1 cemetery. I've also seen quite a few such offerings here in Ohio. I've seen beer, cigarettes, toys, coins and packs of playing cards. On many graves, I'll find stones. I read somewhere that this is an old Jewish tradition.

 

53Tombside%2520Offerings%2520web.jpg

 

--Larry

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I like the cemetery caches. As previously stated they should be at the periphery and not at an actual grave. The whole purpose of a grave stone is to mark where someone is buried so they can be respectfully visited. Since no one is visiting the graves from the 1800's anymore it doesn't hurt to have cachers do it and pay their respects.

 

Some areas do have laws which prevent placing a cache in a cemetery. Check your local laws when getting permission.

Edited by worstcaster
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I love caches in old historic cemeteries. I enjoy visiting those and I'm glad when a cache brings me to one I might have not otherwise known about.

 

I'm not crazy about caches in newer, active cemeteries, unless the cache is on the fringes of it.

 

I don't like caches next to graves in either case.

 

^This^

 

The standard in NC is an offset multi that takes info off some stones to redirect you to the container on the outskirts of the cemetery. In other states many are right inside the cemetery, especially the Spirit Quest hides in the midwest and western states.

Yes, larryc43230 you are correct. Placing a small stone atop the headstone when you visit the grave of a loved one is a Jewish tradition.

The grave of Bobby Jones one of the most famous golfer of all time is in a historic Atlanta cemetery. It is a shrine covered with balls, tees, scorecards, and other golfing swag.

 

IMG_0687.JPG

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I really enjoy cemetery caches but I feel very strongly that the cache itself should not be on, in, or particularly close to any stones. I enjoy these caches because I feel like it connects you to whatever community you're in. You can stumble onto interesting history or sometimes get a sense of how important and loved someone is. One of the coolest caches I found was a multi that started at the head stone of a 17-year-old boy. A poem he had written was inscribed on the back. I didn't know him, but I was touched by the tribute and glad I could see it.

 

I'd take a cemetery cache over one in a Wal-Mart parking lot any day!

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My caching partner and I enjoy the cemetery caches. We especially enjoy the rural ones in our area. They go back to the early 1800's when this area was settled and are usually located on a hill top with a panoramic veiw. All of the caches we have found in a cemetery were found along the fence line and not near any graves. One memorial multi cache that we found required us to visit three cemeteries in a town and gather information from soldiers graves to fine the final that was located in the town. One of the grave sites was of a man who had fought in the Revolunanary war. You can learn a lot of history by visiting cemeteries. I see nothing wrong with caches in cemeteries and long as they are not at grave sites and are done respectfully.

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CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Actually in this case, that is how this one was. It is actually how people have chosen to salute the man, who must have had a good sense of humor.

 

This is not the stone that was the virtual, just one in the vicinity. Another was adorned with a shot glass and a mushroom, another had a belt on it. Others had seashells.

Well that's cool and even better that they've been left and not taken.

 

That is, until someone posted a picture on the internet what someone can discover and find "free beer". :D

 

There was a thread that was started a couple of years ago probably buried several pages deep at this point that was created for people to post pictures of interesting statuary found in cemeteries while searching of a cache. It was one of the best thread's I've ever read in the forum as some of the photos were really amazing.

 

I think cemetery caches are somewhat regional and at least at one point there were some places that they are not allowed. I think most reviewers still give a cache a bit more scrutiny if it appears to be in a cemetery to ensure that it's not hidden among the headstones. I have just one cache that's in a cemetery and my reviewer asked for confirmation about it's specific location and asked that I include something on the listing about hours of access and to ask potential seekers to give respect to other non-geocaching visitors.

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I love caches in old historic cemeteries. I enjoy visiting those and I'm glad when a cache brings me to one I might have not otherwise known about.

 

I'm not crazy about caches in newer, active cemeteries, unless the cache is on the fringes of it.

 

I don't like caches next to graves in either case.

 

^This^

 

The standard in NC is an offset multi that takes info off some stones to redirect you to the container on the outskirts of the cemetery. In other states many are right inside the cemetery, especially the Spirit Quest hides in the midwest and western states.

Yes, larryc43230 you are correct. Placing a small stone atop the headstone when you visit the grave of a loved one is a Jewish tradition.

The grave of Bobby Jones one of the most famous golfer of all time is in a historic Atlanta cemetery. It is a shrine covered with balls, tees, scorecards, and other golfing swag.

 

IMG_0687.JPG

 

I'm guessing that there a lot of "took carabiner, left golf ball" logs on that cache.

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I was out in our area caching with my kids and it lead us to a very active cemetary (there was a funeral set up but not happening). We talked about behavior and since they are teens, we went in. We stayed on the path and all felt ok (respectful, quiet, serious) until we got to the actual cache where it required you to walk into the middle of the cemetary (I never know where to walk....across someone else's grave?) and the cache was IN THE FLOWER VASE ON GRANDMA'S GRAVE!!! We stayed on the path, took a vote and decided not to get that smiley. Great moment to talk about respect. Yes, the Cache Owner might want geocachers there, maybe grandma was a hoot and a cacher, but what about the other families grieving??

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.... and the cache was IN THE FLOWER VASE ON GRANDMA'S GRAVE!!!

I've run across just one cache like this in my years of geocaching. Really creeped me out, even presuming the cache owner actually got permission (there was a mention in the description of permission being granted by the family of the deceased).

 

My GPS unit led me directly to one particular grave, and I thought something along the lines of, "They didn't, did they? Please tell me they didn't hide it here." Then I looked at the hint, and it confirmed that the cache was hidden ON the grave, in an object. The cache turned out to be a micro hidden in the bottom of a vase with fake flowers. To my shame, thinking back on it, I claimed the find, but if I'm ever confronted with this type of cache again, I'll walk away in a heartbeat.

 

--Larry

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CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Actually in this case, that is how this one was. It is actually how people have chosen to salute the man, who must have had a good sense of humor.

 

This is not the stone that was the virtual, just one in the vicinity. Another was adorned with a shot glass and a mushroom, another had a belt on it. Others had seashells.

 

They are saluting the man by leaving full beer bottles out? I'm guessing that this would be illegal around here. Gotta protect the children...

Link to comment

We did a virtual cache in a cemetery on the beach last evening, and it was very nice. To claim the cache we had to find a certain stone, and email the CO with two very specific pieces of information about it. It happened that the stone had historical significance to the area, and it was really neat to learn it. There were also other interesting stones/tributes. Here is a picture of one of them.

1615e8dc_d8b9_4024_afdc_5379629cce53.jpg

 

CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Those items are tributes to the deceased. Visit any historic cemetery in New Orleans, for instance, and you'll see plenty of offerings left for the dead.

 

Sometimes it's difficult to determine whether items are tributes or just trash, but if in doubt, I strongly suggest you leave them alone.

 

--Larry

 

There was a time in my life where I'd be yelling, "Jackpot, where's the ice chest".

Link to comment

CITO??? :unsure:

 

It's a virtual cache where you give information from the grave to the CO. I think they're there to cover up said info.

Actually in this case, that is how this one was. It is actually how people have chosen to salute the man, who must have had a good sense of humor.

 

This is not the stone that was the virtual, just one in the vicinity. Another was adorned with a shot glass and a mushroom, another had a belt on it. Others had seashells.

 

They are saluting the man by leaving full beer bottles out? I'm guessing that this would be illegal around here. Gotta protect the children...

If it's illegal here, it's not enforced. I've seen that sort of thing in a good number of cemeteries I've visited.

 

--Larry

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Are cemetery geocaches acceptable?

 

Not in South Carolina. Right of way caches (guardrail, stop signs etc) are also banned here via law. Also any land managed by the Dept of Natural Resources. I don't think there is another state as tough as South Carolina when it comes to cache placement. Despite this, we have a ton of spots available for geocaching.

 

https://wiki.Groundspeak.com/display/GEO/South+Carolina

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There is a series started in my area that places caches on the perimeter of cemeteries with some historical significance. The cache page also gives a short narrative about some of the important people that now inhabit said location. Not only do you get a chance to visit an interesting place, you learn some of the local history. Interestingly enough, it was started by a local mortician and he is very clear about not disrespecting the residents and that the caches are not inside the cemetery. I've found several of his hides and they are easily found without entering hallowed ground.

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I love cemetary's and the historical aspects that go along with them. I have found many caches along the edge of a cemetary but never at or near a gravesite. I personally think it is OK around the cemetary. I would not mind at all having a cache on my own stone some day out in the future. Many graves never get a visitor. With that in mind would it be wrong to place a cache there?

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