Cache In Cemetery?

[Gare27]

Per Geocaching guidelines or as a good idea is it o.k. to hide a geocache in a cemetery?

[umc]

When done tastefully. I've done a couple caches in cemeteries and they were great and highly recommend them.

[+briansnat]

Technically if its a private cemetery you should get permission. Done tastefully, caches in cemeteries are fine in most people's eyes. Many people feel that you should stay away from active cemeteries where you may encounter mourners, but historic graveyards are fine. Others feel that active cemeteries are fine as long as you aren't sticking a film canister to the back of someone's headstone.

 

A cache in a wooded area away from graves seems to be the most common method of hiding caches in cemeteries. I've also seen people use the numbers on a headstone (usually of a prominent person) to provide an offset to the cache.

Edited January 25, 2005 by briansnat

[+cache_test_dummies]

I've also seen people use the numbers on a headstone (usually of a prominent person) to provide an offset to the cache.

Here's a cache in an old cemetary where you find the headstone of a particular person. On the headstone is a pointing hand. To find the cache, you look to the spot where the finger is pointing.

[+BalkanSabranje]

Strong recommendation:

 

Cemetery of the Nameless Dead / Friedhof der Namenlosen (reloaded)

 

BS/2

[+erik88l-r]

If the cache is actually in the cemetery, as opposed to just outside the graveyard, the cache reviewers will ask that permission be obtained. This is especially true if people are still being intered there or relatives are still visiting loved ones. It's less of a concern in ancient and/or abandoned cemeteries. If in doubt ask the church pastor, groundskeeper, or whoever else might be responsible.

 

I've found caches in cemeteries that were tastefully done and were a great hunt. I have also found a cache in a crypt that was broken open. That was bad. Possible publicity from a hide like that would be very bad for our sport.

 

erik - geocaching.com cache reviewer.

Edited January 25, 2005 by erik88l-r

[+Mastifflover]

I've done several well thought out cemetary caches. Only a couple of questionable ones come to mind.

[+Divine]

I always like to visit old cemeteries, so go ahead.

[+BalkanSabranje]

If the cache is actually in the cemetery, as opposed to just outside the graveyard, the cache reviewers will ask that permission be obtained. This is especially true if people are still being intered there or relatives are still visiting loved ones. It's less of a concern in ancient and/or abandoned cemeteries. If in doubt ask the church pastor, groundskeeper, or whoever else might be responsible.

 

I've found caches in cemeteries that were tastefully done and were a great hunt. I have also found a cache in a crypt that was broken open. That was bad. Possible publicity from a hide like that would be very bad for our sport.

 

erik - geocaching.com cache reviewer.

Erik, the cache I mentioned is located _outside_ the cemetery (just like Version 1 was).

 

BS/2

[dead_white_man]

As an additional note, and speaking as a historian, cemetaries provide some very interesting (and sometimes little known) information. Furthermore they are very often located on high hills providing terriffic views.

[+Beowulf83]

I got my first GPS mainly to mark grave locations in neglected cemeteries for genealogy. Many of the ones I've found were overgrown, and in some danger of being lost. If done in accordance with guidelines and acceptable practice, placing a cache nearby might bring attention to some of these neglected sites.

 

[+Vic303]

I can think of 3 in/around cemetarys in the DFW area off the top of my head:

Transylvania Boogie

Jacob Rouths Other Haunt

Beyond the Grave

 

Done with out being destructive to the property/graves, I don't really see a problem.

[+fly46]

I've seen many in cemetaries and only one (which was very unique) has ever been on/in a stone. The others have all been under a rock, in a tree, etc..

 

Beowulf, do you have a cache at every one of those yet?

[+vree]

there have been a lot of caches popping up in cemeteries in my area lately. the problem that i have with some of them (mainly cache locations that are near graves) is that you have to walk around these gravestones. of course, i'm a little bit creeped out by cemeteries anyway.

 

my take: if i'm dead, i could care less who walks around on my grave, but other people may not feel the same way about loved ones' graves. if someone's gps accuracy is off, will they be walking around on people's graves because there are several trees around? i've abandoned a couple cache searches because i wasn't comfortable searching for nanos where they seemed to be located.

[+joefrog]

It's a stiff subject, but can be deadly if you take the wrong approach. It can be a hellish find that sends you to your grave, or Heavenly easy and lifts you up.

[+Divine]

It's a stiff subject, but can be deadly if you take the wrong approach. It can be a hellish find that sends you to your grave, or Heavenly easy and lifts you up.

Are you dead serious? IMO, that's a killer post! I'm dying to read more.

[+Beowulf83]

I've seen many in cemetaries and only one (which was very unique) has ever been on/in a stone.  The others have all been under a rock, in a tree, etc.. 

 

Beowulf, do you have a cache at every one of those yet?

Nope, not a one. Just agreeing that it's OK given proper attention to decorum.

 

I did try a virtual at a remote cemetery in the middle of a cornfield in the middle of nowhere, but the link to the USGS Nameserver in my hint gave away the answer. I archived it before it was ever found. I might go back and place a micro if I could ever find the owners and get permission.

 

Forgotten Family Virtual

 

Edited to include the following...

 

Duh - it's obviously been awhile since I posted/archived that cache. Mapblast is no longer used, and that was the problem. Also, the link to the name server in that clue is no longer valid.

 

Of course, I doubt this one would get approved again given the new guidelines on virts.

Edited January 25, 2005 by Beowulf83

[+GRANPA ALEX]

You can almost write the history of the USA from reading the stones on graves in Charleston (SC).

 

These are great sites for caches, done tastefully with a measure of respect for the living (relatives or not). Most have been virts or used as clues to final stage - BUT all are super! Grave yards are cool!

[Gare27]

Thanks to all who gave their input on this subject.

[+DiskDevil]

In my area we have a KICK THE BUCKET series. There are aprox. 21 of them. Some really good, some really bad. If done with respect, tact, and you leave the sleeping residents and their stones alone, it should be fine.

[+CompuCash]

I did 6 caches last weekend - 5 were in cemaeteries -

 

guess that says alot - these were all 'in town' (medium size mountain town)

 

and the closest ones I could find for when I went up there.

[+blaneyphoto]

One of my first was at the grave of Joey Ramone, and although rather easy to find was definitely one of the best!

[gridlox]

Geocaching for the afterlife?

 

Wonder if anybody has designed a headstone with a secret stash compartment for future use after "caching out"?

 

Of course maintenance would definately be a problem!!

 

D-man

[+CompuCash]

Geocaching for the afterlife?

 

Wonder if anybody has designed a headstone with a secret stash compartment for future use after "caching out"?

 

Of course maintenance would definately be a problem!!

 

D-man

 

cute idea - !!!

 

I'm sure someone would adopt it - <grin!>

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

When I first came upon the idea of a cemetary cache I thought "not there, it's not a playground" but then after reflecting on that thought, I camr to the conclusion, why not put a playground in a cemetary? For the spirits of those burried there, wouldn't it be nice to look down and see life going on?

 

When my mom came to town for a visit, one thing she wanted to do was visit her mothers grave, and that of a woman she used to care for. They're both in the same cemetary, and at the second spot we spent about 1/2 hour tending to the stone as it was more than 3/4 covered in sod.

 

After the visiting was done, we took her to the border of the cemetary and in the wooded area there is a nice cache that was her first day ever geocaching. It added to the day, and helped make if more memorable for all of us.

 

This was the cache

Edited February 8, 2005 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+terri and billy]

One of the first caches we did was in historic Charles county, Maryland. The cemetary was at one of the oldest Catholic churches in the US. It is still in use today. We bumped into the groundskeeper who was happy to share information about the cemetary with us. We found several Civil War vets and some of the first priests plots. As people that really get into history, we were having a blast just checking out the cemetary. The cache was just an added bonus! What should have been a quick in and out ended up being an hour or more having fun.

 

Terri

[+medic208]

IMO, I think cemetery caches are quite interesting and I have been able to see several old and historic cemeteries in my area that I would not have seen otherwise. I placed a cache last year in an old episcopal church cemetary ( A Historic Church ) that dates back to the late 1700's and I didnt know before placing the cache that the church was used during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars as a field hospital for troops. Another interesting cache comes to mind as well... one was part of a multi that led you to an unusual headstone... a marble elephant! If I only knew the story behind that one

Edited February 13, 2005 by medic208

[+RoyalRed]

I have done a number of caches in cemeteries and have liked almost all of them. In fact I placed a cache in the local one near me that commerates the crashing of a B-25 Bomber in the area during WWII (B-25 Bomber, GCHXKA). Put reprints of the 1944 local paper's account of the incident.

 

Cemeteries are dying to get visitors (okay bad pun). The local cemetery I have mine in has had a sign up asking for donations for the last three years. I am hoping that through the increased traffic of my cache they may get a little more.

 

As long as you are knocking things over or hiding things directly on graves I don't think anyone would have a problem. I would personally be honored if someone hid a cache on my grave!

[+Miragee]

On our local news last night they had an fascinating story about a man whose parachute opened before he got all the way out of the airplane. He dangled from the plane for a long time before being rescued by a men in a biplane who flew up to him.

 

Can you imagine?

 

He lived for many years after that before passing away. His tombstone has a graphic of a parachute on it.

 

That would be an interesting marker to send people to so they could learn about that story . . .

[+KolarBear]

I've come across a few forgotten gravesites in my travels.

 

I always feel bad for these people!

 

Now that I have read this I might just make a nice cache to let people know that this gravesite exists!

 

Thanks for the helpful topic!

 

-KolarBear

[Yo Yo Maxx]

One of my earliest finds was in a little country cemetery. The best part was that the container was in a bush right next to my grandmother's grave. She died the year before I was born, but my Mother has told me so many things about her over my lifetime and I am certain she would find this game a real hoot. She was all for the things that made her kids happy.

 

In addition, my first cache is in a cemetery. It is out of the way, and has been overlooked by many, many people who live in this area because businesses have been built up around it. They all say they are grateful for the cache because they would never know about this little spot of peace in the middle of so much commercialism. I picked the spot because it is next to the grave of one of my great-great grandfathers whose wife has gone missing for many years, I am still looking for her and thus the cache is named for her. I have had nothing but positive responses about this cache, and it is hit a lot. Seems to have become a convenient spot for people passing through on the interstate and thus it has become a popular dropping off spot for TB's. I have been so pleased with the response.

 

Hope this helps from one who has a personal interest in some cemeteries. Yo Yo MaXX

[+Camo-crazed]

As long as you are knocking things over or hiding things directly on graves I don't think anyone would have a problem.

I think you meant, not knocking things over and....

 

BTW the "no burying rule" is even more important in these caches

 

hiding one of these might get interesting logs

[+bthomas]

They are interesting places to visit. Bay Area Comemmorative

 

Columba

 

Be considerate and pay your respects.

[The 2 Dogs]

There are several in Cemetery Caches in Sydney including This One In Sydney's Rookwood Cemetery also know as the Necropolis. Rookwood is the largest Victorian Cemetery in the world.

 

The cache is the first multi-cache placed in Australia, and is at the grave of one of my ancestors.

 

There is also Cryptic which is a Picture Cache in the same cemetery,

[Copepod]

There's a cache at the American WWII cemetery at Madingley near Cambridge, England at:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...fd-9859591f9f54

Easily reached from Cambridge by bike or open topped tourist bus all year round.