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Cemetery Caches


Team Ramfire

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Short answer: Yes

 

I would see if the cemetery has a board of directors or some other governing body and I would get their permission. Additionally, depending on where you are placing the cache, you may or may not need the approval of others.

 

Keep in mind also that while this is a "game" or whatever to us, tramping through a cemetery may not be considered very respectful with regard to the reasons for being there.

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I have a series of cemetery caches that I placed recently. Today a cacher posted the following log for one of my caches:

 

Ok, we found this one and severla of the others and have a problem with all of them. And the one right by the grave, come on, two feet from a grave, let them rest in peace. I thought we might be missing a theme or some along the way so we did several of them. There is no reason to have these here. There is a lot of nice area around the cemetey that could hold a regular size cache, but to just place film containers around in local cemetery's, I think not. This is a beautiful area could easily handle several large container for caches, but don't have people searching around graves, what if your family was here, do you really want me and hundereds of others digging around looking for a film container?

 

I didn't feel the log was appropriate so I deleted it and let the cacher know that I felt such comments were more appropriate for a private e-mail, and that they could repost their find.

 

NONE of these caches in my cemetery series are "near" graves, although I guess "near" is a relative term. All of the caches are located in knots in trees, at bases of trees, tree stumps, etc.

 

I believe cemetery caches are NOT disrespectful, as long as the cache is not on or next to a grave (and I've found some that are). Additionally, cachers shouldn't hunt in cemeteries if others are visiting their loved ones, and shouldn't bring pets.

 

Just my .02.

 

Jim

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Personally, I dont think cemeteries should be used for anything but a virtual cache. The people traffic and their intent are not something that the cemetery or the families of those buried there would likely find appealing. All it would take is one sick person to do something and it could make the entire activity of geocaching look bad. Of course, this is all just my HO and your mileage may vary.

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Tacky and disrespectful. What I might think is respectful probably won't be to the families of the buried. Remember, it's their family member that's buried there, not ours. Also, you're trespassing on private property. Would you hide a cache on your neighbor's property wthout getting permission?

Edited by Alan2
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I'll agree that you should get permission, just because it's not property owned by you.

 

As for placing one in a cemetary. At first I thought...NO. But then I started thinking about it.

 

There are cemetaries located everywhere that have walking routes. Meaning, that a lot of people take their evening/morning walks throughout the cemetaries. I know of one in particular in Washington, NC that is absolutely beautiful, we walked every night. There is even a swingset set up off to the side for kids.

 

I think if you find a cemetary that allows walkers, then why not ask about geocaching. As others have said though, be respectful about where you locate it. And if there is procession going on at the time, come back another time to allow families privacy, if cemetary is small.

 

So, after thinking, my answer is yes.

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I placed one in a cemetery not long ago, after reading this post.

I had good spot but was unsure of the graveyard etiquette.

This answered alot of questions for me.

 

When it's my turn to be planted, I know that if there were people on the ground above me geocaching I'd have a smile on my face. :lol:

 

uprcut

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Also, you're trespassing on private property. Would you hide a cache on your neighbor's property wthout getting permission?

 

Do you need permission to visit a friends grave? Do you need permission to leave flowers.

 

I have never seen anything anout needing permission to visit a graveyard.

 

This doesn't mean that we don't need to show some respect though.

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I have a series of cemetery caches that I placed recently. Today a cacher posted the following log for one of my caches:

 

Ok, we found this one and severla of the others and have a problem with all of them. And the one right by the grave, come on, two feet from a grave, let them rest in peace. I thought we might be missing a theme or some along the way so we did several of them. There is no reason to have these here. There is a lot of nice area around the cemetey that could hold a regular size cache, but to just place film containers around in local cemetery's, I think not. This is a beautiful area could easily handle several large container for caches, but don't have people searching around graves, what if your family was here, do you really want me and hundereds of others digging around looking for a film container?

 

I didn't feel the log was appropriate so I deleted it and let the cacher know that I felt such comments were more appropriate for a private e-mail, and that they could repost their find.

 

NONE of these caches in my cemetery series are "near" graves, although I guess "near" is a relative term. All of the caches are located in knots in trees, at bases of trees, tree stumps, etc.

 

I believe cemetery caches are NOT disrespectful, as long as the cache is not on or next to a grave (and I've found some that are). Additionally, cachers shouldn't hunt in cemeteries if others are visiting their loved ones, and shouldn't bring pets.

 

Just my .02.

 

Jim

Ummm, it would seem tha your finder felt that "two feet from the grave" was too close. I agree.

 

You deleted the post and old the finder to re-post his find and stated the finder should have eMailed you the comments. Obviously an eMail would not have changed your mind about the cache location.

 

I have a cemetary cache. It is located in a treeline on the edge of the cemetary. The cemetary is owned by the local county trustees and held in the public trust. Many people have complimented my cache for its respectful distance from the graves.

 

I have found many cemetary caches. They have all been located a respectful distance from any graves. What is a respectful distance? Let's arbitrarily state 20 feet. That's far enough away that searchers needn't trod unnecessarily on Great-Aunt Gertrude but close enough to take time and enjoy some interesting headstones.

 

Cemetaries can be wonderful places for caches. I enjoy re-visiting mine. They are a nice change from urban micros and tiring hikes. They are often handicap accessible. They can be "themed" or part of a multi-stage cache. They should never be disrespectful of those interred or their families. They should never been on or under a stone or hidden in a way that searchers must walk upon the graves.

 

I think your finder behaved appropriately with his post. Your reaction demonstrates you were not concerned with the cacher's discomfort with your placement.

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Ill say again: Its simply 'good manners'. A cemetery is not a playground nor should it be used as such simply because we dont want to ask permission.

 

Historically, cemeteries have been used for recreation. In the 19th and early part of the 20th century they were popular places for picnics and family outings. Its only since public parks started to become commonplace that cemeteries lost their recreational purpose and the concept of them being "hallowed ground", reserved only for mourners came into being.

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Cemetery caches do need to be handled with care. Some cemeteries are privately held and permission should be sought. However there are many abandoned cemeteries in the country and there is no active ownership or association to care or manage them. In Allengheny County, Pennsylvania I have discovered two such cemeteries. In cases such as these it is fine to place caches. However, I would follow suggestions of others and be careful about placement using commonsense and being respectful.

Edited by Ole_Mithaugen
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Hey where I'm living now, the town way back when decided to move two of the cemetaries which were side by side out of the prime area, but after they collected all of the headstones they realized they didn't have a map of where the headstones came from. So they turned the area into a park for kids and put all of the headstones together as a monument. And yes they left everything underground jsut as it was, I don't know how many people know what they are playing above.

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I am from Canada, and when I was going thru Northwestern Georgia (Dalton) I went to a cemetery cache at night.534 CSA CSX Since it was my first cemetery cache I thought it was a little creepy for me. It was about a hundred feet off the side by a tree close to the homes around the cemetery. I guess it was also creepy to the homeowners having someone walking around a cemetery at night with a flashlight and it didn't take long for the cops to show up. Hard to convince an officer that you love a game so much that you would travel hundreds of miles to find a container at night in a graveyard. Apparently thou it doesn't require caching at night to get the cops attention because the next day I went caching during daylight and was pulled over because they were wondering why I was parked on that street, and that cop was a real a**. So needless to say I don't think I will cache in Georgia anymore, beautiful state, but the locals are a little uptight about strange vehicles.

Edited by gumpy
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