Cemeteries?

[Guest Anton]

What is your opinion about placing a cache in a cemetery? It depends? Never? Reasons?

 

Cemeteries are one of the few scenic, public open spaces in urban areas. They offer many opportunities for clues, to learn local history, and to visit interesting landmarks.

 

Anton

 

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Anton Ninno, N2RUD

Syracuse, NY 13210

[Guest bob_renner]

I would be hesitant to PLACE a cache IN a cemetery. I think most cemeteries are private property even though they may be open to the public. You could check with the cemetery office on their opinion.

 

I have used information off a headstone to be used in a multi-stage cache (GC51C). That way I neither left nor took anything from the cemetery itself, and anyone seeking this cache is only doing research when they visit the cemetery.

 

Bob

[Guest Scout]

Personally, I think using gravestones as virtual caches could, in some cases, be insensitive to the feelings of the family of the deceased, if they became aware of it.

 

I think hiding a real, physical cache among gravestones is in very poor taste.

 

Burying a cache six feet under in a cemetery is right out.

[Guest Quinnow]

I would have to disagree to a certain point about not using gravestones as a Geomarker for a cache. In our area and several others for that fact based on the www.findagrave.com website, people are even given tours of cemetery's by the city or the cemetery itself.

Of course I am not saying to go out and log someone who has just been buried, but I think it is fine to ue the stone of lets say a civil war Veteran, or maybe a movie star.

After all these gravesites were expected to draw attention in the first place. I also Don't think that taking etchings would be a good idea, but maybe a digital photo of the site would be suitable enough.

Gravesites are one of the best sources of history Information, and what better way to get Interested in history than doing something you enjoy like Geocaching.

 

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Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

 

[This message has been edited by Quinnow (edited 04-13-2001).]

[Guest Quinnow]

I would have to disagree to a certain point about not using gravestones as a Geomarker for a cache. In our area and several others for that fact based on the www.findagrave.com website, people are even given tours of cemetery's by the city or the cemetery itself.

Of course I am not saying to go out and log someone who has just been buried, but I think it is fine to ue the stone of lets say a civil war Veteran, or maybe a movie star.

After all these gravesites were expected to draw attention in the first place. I also Don't think that taking etchings would be a good idea, but maybe a digital photo of the site would be suitable enough.

Gravesites are one of the best sources of history Information, and what better way to get Interested in history than doing something you enjoy like Geocaching.

 

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Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

 

[This message has been edited by Quinnow (edited 04-13-2001).]

[Guest Exocet]

To throw in my two cents...

 

I wouldn't place a cache in a cemetary - I think that might offend someone.

 

However, personally I wouldn't mind having the lat/lon on my own headstone, but I've got a sense of humour.

 

Using words, numbers of a combo thereof from an existing headstone is a good idea, IMO. Even better when, as Quinnow said, it's of someone 'famous' or played a significant role in history.

 

Headstones exist to help others remember the dead. We do no disservice when we help bring others to examine a headstone and learn a little about who it represents, though it probably isn't in the owners or families' original plans.

[Guest Exocet]

To throw in my two cents...

 

I wouldn't place a cache in a cemetary - I think that might offend someone.

 

However, personally I wouldn't mind having the lat/lon on my own headstone, but I've got a sense of humour.

 

Using words, numbers of a combo thereof from an existing headstone is a good idea, IMO. Even better when, as Quinnow said, it's of someone 'famous' or played a significant role in history.

 

Headstones exist to help others remember the dead. We do no disservice when we help bring others to examine a headstone and learn a little about who it represents, though it probably isn't in the owners or families' original plans.

[Guest Dan Bollinger]

What about a microcache at a famous person's tombstone? What I suggest is a film canister that's always buried 1" deep on the back of the stone, in the middle. In this way we aren't threading on the grave or planted flowers. Also, we aren't digging and poking around all over, just go directly to the back and lift the sod. These could have a logbook only, no treasure. comments?

[Guest Quinnow]

yeeeks...not sure if I would go that far. I admit that I would like to do that, as well as think it would be fun, but I would never do it for the reason that I am certain that the cemetery would frown on it as well as the family members of the uhh, dead dude!

Don't want to do anything to give the sport a scar so maybe it wouldn't be such a great idea to move any type of turf. But I can't see any harm done in the placing of a micro cache within a cemetary. Matbe by a nice shaded tree or something. My 2 cents!

 

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Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

[Guest Scout]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan Bollinger:

What about a microcache at a famous person's tombstone?

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Maybe it's just me, but I consider it extremely bad taste to bury any kind of cache anywhere in a cemetery at all. Posting lat/lon of famous people's gravesites as an aid in locating them is probably OK, because the emphasis is on the famous person, not some hide and seek game. Playing treasure hunt in a graveyard is likely to bring bad publicity to the recreation, if you ask me.

 

[This message has been edited by Scout (edited 25 April 2001).]

[Guest 300mag]

I agree with Quinnow.Some cemeteries have interesting or famous people.These graves are sometimes even forgoten and so is a part of history.This reminds me of one old cemeterie the person buried there was the last person to have been killed (legaly) in a duel here in Canada.Like you see there are lots of interesting things to visit without disturbing anything.You could always have different bearings(cache) to follow and make this a famous gravesite visiting day by visiting different famous graves.(my .2cents)

[Guest Dan Bollinger]

After further thought, I'd feel a little odd even hiding a microcache by a grave. Which is very odd, since I've dug many a hole for planting flowers! I like the suggestion of locating the grave, then putting the cache at some other, nearby place. The funny thing is, many people do 'rubbings' of gravestones as a hobby. No one says anything against that! Maybe this is a case of simply logging in a virtual logbook instead? I'm going to locate Emmett Kelly Jr.'s grave site in my hometown. You will remember him as the quintissential "sad clown".

[Guest scooterj]

Sorry about "digging up" an old topic, but I have something to add about cache hunting in cemeteries. I am working up a multiple/virtual cache series that is located in a cemetery. The resulting "tour" will visit the graves of historical figures buried there and end with a visit to a fascinating tree in one part of the cemetery that is so intriguing that when I first spotted it 11 years ago I was literally moved to sit and write a poem about it on the spot. (Which is something I have never done at any other time ever!)

 

After reading the old posts here and seeing that there's a lot of worry that even a virtual cache might be disrespectful, I did a general internet search for this particular cemetery. As it turns out, the city's Parks & Recreation department sponsored a Halloween Family Fun Run through this cemetery last Halloween! They had the same purpose in mind -- touring the historical graves. (The tree, assuming it's still there, was not part of the tour though... I doubt many people have noticed it as it is not on the "main drag".)

 

So, if the caretakers of the cemetary see nothing wrong with a Halloween family fun run, I don't think a handful of people coming in wih GPS units and writing down info from graves is gonna cause a fuss.

 

[This message has been edited by scooterj (edited 11 August 2001).]

[Guest Dwarf]

I'm not religious, but even so I think it's not a good idea. I wouldn't disagree to using the epitaphs as part of a clue, but I would never bury anything there. Now if you could find a place there NOT on or even near a plot...well then maybe, but ask permission. You will almost assuredly be denied permission.

However, I would like to take this opportunity to mention the cemetaries in New Orleans. THEY ARE FANTASTIC! You see, the water level in southern Louisiana is so high that people cannot be buried underground. They all have to be placed within crypts! Even driving by on the interstate you can see them. They look like miniature cities! Very Anne Rice. Geocaching aside, if you are going to visit this area, take pictures with black and white film on a cemetary tour. You'll love the results.

[Guest scooterj]

Oh, no way would I BURY anything! That's totally disrespectful. Especially in a cemetery as old has this one that is believed to have possibly several thousand unmarked graves mixed in among all the marked graves... there's no telling what might turn up. This is going to entirely be a virtual cache, there will be nothing placed in the cemetery whatsoever.

[Guest Campeon1981]

What's the fascination? There's other interesting ways to lead people through multi or virtual caches. Let's not go here please.

 

On a lighter note, if someone stomps around my grave on a geo-hunt when I'm gone, I'll make sure to snatch your GPS and use it to geocache up in heaven

[Guest Campeon1981]

What's the fascination? There's other interesting ways to lead people through multi or virtual caches. Let's not go here please.

 

On a lighter note, if someone stomps around my grave on a geo-hunt when I'm gone, I'll make sure to snatch your GPS and use it to geocache up in heaven

[Guest T-storm]

There was recently a new multi-cache in my area that had one locate the grave of a well-known person in the cemetary and then use the adjacent marker to form the code to reveal the clue to the next cache site outside the cemetary which holds the actual cache. Though I will probably complete the cache eventually, I gotta tell you I've had mixed feelings about it since I saw it posted. You see, three of my great-grandparents are buried there, and I believe the family owns at least two more plots (I thought this was where the one with my name on it is). Since it's my family, it especially makes me concerned that my hobby might bring inappropriate traffic into the cemetary. On the other hand, I am also the type who feels there is nothing really of the departed person still there (it's just my spot for remembering) and would be happiest if I myself was buried in a pine box in a very private family cemetary in the middle of nowhere on private property. I also know of an interesting monument (not a grave I think) located in a cemetary that I'd like to take people to see... but wonder about the rest of the graveyard being disturbed. And based on my participation in geneaological research with my parents, I'd say if you go this route, leave nothing. As someone pointed out, there is the potential to disturb graves which no longer (or never) have a marker or to damage the marker such that future weather or jostling could cause the stone to split or flake in the future.

 

[This message has been edited by T-storm (edited 11 August 2001).]

[Guest Hawk-eye]

I personally wouldn't place a cache in any grave yard ... public or private ... just a matter of respect. I would have no problem using a virtual cache or waypoint in a graveyard though. Say to point out a historical grave or site.

 

I would also have a problem placing a cache in an area that was a battle field ... revolutionary or civil war ... again matter of respect ... not to mention some are NPS lands. No disrespect to the NPS ... but it is strictly the respect of those that fought and died ... not the NPS. I have placed a cache (Hawk 7) in the Guilford Courthouse battle field ... four virtual points on the battlefield that are for gathering clues and the fifth ... the physical cache ... that is way outside the battlefield.

 

Battlefields, most of which are graveyards as well ... are the same in my mind ... and like I said ... just a matter of honor and respect for what happened there or in the case of a graveyard ... the people and their families ... nothing else.

[Guest BigDoggie]

My uncle is buried in a cenetary in Louisville, KY. He shares the place with the illustrious Col. Sanders of fried chicken fame. The cemetary management got so tired of having to direct people to the Colonel's grave that they painted a yellow line down the middle of the driveway, from the entrance gate to his grave, what seemed like a mile into this huge cemetary. And, no, this isn't just a traffic divider... the yellow line in only on this one path, and stops in front of the grave.

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

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Originally posted by BigDoggie:

... the yellow line in only on this one path, and stops in front of the grave.

 

---

 

That's tacky ... I'm surprised they didn't just put a 6 foot red and white bucket over the grave!

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

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Originally posted by BigDoggie:

... the yellow line in only on this one path, and stops in front of the grave.

 

---

 

That's tacky ... I'm surprised they didn't just put a 6 foot red and white bucket over the grave!

[Guest Khao Mun Gai]

I have placed two "micro" (35mm film canister) caches in cemetaries in Paris. To assure minimal impact, in each case I attached the caches to the underside of a park bench.

 

These cemetaries in Paris are full of the illustrious dead and have become tourist attractions. One of them is where Jim Morrison is buried - at any given time there are a dozen or more "pilgrims" hovering around his grave.

 

Maps with celebrity grave locations are either available for free or for sale from the management of the cemetaries. It is not uncommon at all for people to leave things (messages, notes, paintings, gifts, photos, etc.) on or near the graves of long dead celebrities. It is also not uncommon for people to interact with the graves - the grave of Victor Noir, in Pere Lachaise cemetary, for example, features a life-size, reclining bronze statue of its namesake... People rub his crotch for good luck and have been doing so for 130 years - so much so that while the statue is the blue color of oxidized bronze, his crotch is still shiny, polished bronze color. Photo: http://anaconda.net/ad/paris2001/pere-lachaise/photo028.html

 

I don't think Victor Noir would mind if a cache was placed in his cemetary.

[Guest EyezOfTheWorld]

quote:

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Originally posted by BigDoggie:

The cemetary management got so tired of having to direct people ... they painted a yellow line down the middle of the driveway, from the entrance gate to his grave

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If i remember correctly, in the graveyard where James Dean is buried in Indiana, they have some signs directing frequest visitors to his grave.

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Can't wait till my friend Anton gets home from vacation and sees where his string has led ...

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Can't wait till my friend Anton gets home from vacation and sees where his string has led ...

[Guest G1B]

I have no objection to placing a cache in a cemetery, in fact, I've recently placed a cache in one (GC14DD). Of course it is an old country cemetery where most of my family is burried. It also has several headstones dated to the 1800's. Granted my cache isn't out in the open, but rather back in the trees next to the property line. As long as it is not placed on top of, or in the ground next to a grave I see no problem with it.

 

Greg

[Guest G1B]

Greg's family owns a good portion of the cemetary he mentioned. Sometime before memorial day - several stones were tipped over assumably by kids. The destruction was not known until memorial day. Imagine heading out to the cemetary to remember, and finding the place destroyed. We thought that placing a cache here would be helpful in keeping an extra "eye" on the out of the way country cemetary. Geocachers are not known for their destuctiveness but the positive aspects they bring. When others have a knee-jerk "oh my gawd, how could you!" Its up to those in the Geocaching community to explain how the situation is a positive action. FOR example: Our local conservation dept. denied our request to place caches. Yet these same areas allow mushroom and game hunting. It was something new and they couldn't see a positive aspect.

-B of G1B

[Guest martinp13]

quote:

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Originally posted by T-storm:

There was recently a new multi-cache in my area that had one locate the grave of a well-known person in the cemetary and then use the adjacent marker to form the code to reveal the clue to the next cache site outside the cemetary which holds the actual cache. Though I will probably complete the cache eventually, I gotta tell you I've had mixed feelings about it since I saw it posted.

---

 

Don't try that one in the dark... we never found the stone and had to come back the next day. Tho how we could search for 30 minutes and not find it baffles me! But it WAS fascinating seeing Oswald's grave in Fort Worth.

 

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> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

[Guest martinp13]

quote:

---

Originally posted by T-storm:

There was recently a new multi-cache in my area that had one locate the grave of a well-known person in the cemetary and then use the adjacent marker to form the code to reveal the clue to the next cache site outside the cemetary which holds the actual cache. Though I will probably complete the cache eventually, I gotta tell you I've had mixed feelings about it since I saw it posted.

---

 

Don't try that one in the dark... we never found the stone and had to come back the next day. Tho how we could search for 30 minutes and not find it baffles me! But it WAS fascinating seeing Oswald's grave in Fort Worth.

 

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> Martin

Magellan 330 (1.56/WAAS enabled!)

Don't have time to program and record your shows while geocaching? Get a TiVo !

[Guest Geoffrey]

Heres one example:

Chester Greenwood

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4150

[Guest LoCache]

, but forget the cool aspect of something like this to us, and think about the feelings of the families of the people in the graves.

 

Just MHO,

Geo

[Guest arffer]

On the other hand...

 

Its a way of getting people to visit the grave side and remember and/or realize for the first time that "Hey, this person once lived, had friends and family etc."

[Guest Captain Kidd]

I lost my son last December in an auto accident and when I found Chester Greenwoods site I had to stop and say a prayer for him. I think it is ok to use a grave site as long as the cache is not with the grave.I had to stop and think about the family and I think they would be happy that people are visiting his grave .and maybe saying a prayer or two for the person. Just my humble opinion. thanks for letting me speak

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

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Originally posted by Captain Kidd:

....Just my humble opinion. thanks for letting me speak

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No, thank you for sharing ... I can't even imagine what it's like to loose a child ... my best you and your family ... we'll remember you and your son in our prayers ...

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 22 August 2001).]

[Guest larrycot98]

quote:

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. The cemetary management got so tired of having to direct people to the Colonel's grave that they painted a yellow line down the middle of the driveway, from the entrance gate to his grave,

---

 

Another example: George S. Patton's request to be buried with his troops was honored, he had a simple white cross and was laid to rest in the middle of 5000 troops at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg. Years later, after the grass was worn away by visitors to his grave, they moved George and his stone to the front of the cemetery, and laid down stones to reduce wear and tear.

 

There's a good overhead shot of the cemetery at http://www.abmc.gov/lx1w.jpg. You can (almost) see Patton's marker near the hedge between the American Flags

 

Larry C

(Formerly Stationed 15 miles from Lux.)

 

[This message has been edited by larrycot98 (edited 24 August 2001).]

[Guest Cool Breeze]

I just entered my first ever cache. It's a Virtual Cache in a cemetery. I probably wouldn't place a regular cache in a cemetery, but I think virtual caches are ok.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6204

 

-breeze

[Guest Alex]

Just look for the grave of Father Patrick of the Dominican Order who died a hundred years ago, that should solve the problem of not upsetting the family.

[Guest SpyderWolf_Pack]

Personally I don't think placing a micro cache or even a small cache on the grounds would be inappropriate.

Many cemeteries are now offering bird watching walks, tree walks, etc. When I was writing dog tips I found one cemetery that was offering a dog play session or something similiar things.

As long as respect is maintained I think that it is nice to visit them.