Cemetery Caches

[clown4u]

I am a cacher in Harrison and looking for some information.
I would like to place a series of cemetery caches in Boone County, but am not sure about who to or if I need to ask permission from someone prior to placing them. Do you know if permission is required to place a cache in County cemetery, since sometimes it is impossible to determine who would have the authority to grant that permission?
Any information you may have would help greatly.

[likestocanoe]

In the cemeteries around here there has always been a sign on who to call if you want to dig a grave or buy a plot. The number on the sign is someone on the cemetery board. They are the folks you need to talk to about placing a cache.

Hope this helps.

[captaincooder]

For real? You're saying that most cemetery caches are placed with permission? I don't believe that. In fact, I would say that is what makes them so appealing to geocachers in general, that they are functionally public places that don't require permission. A cemetery board is usually composed of a handful of members who have loved ones buried in the cemetery, and that's it. They control who will and won't be buried there, and the general upkeep of the grounds. I can't imagine any reasonable person denying permission to hide a camoed pill bottle, but I could see some unreasonable person doing it for superstitious and arbitrary reasons. Plus, it ain't like the person you ask is going to "bring it before the board" and sign a contract with you. Personally, I wouldn't bother with asking for permisssion.

part of groundspeaks revamping of the rules last year involved cemetery caches. we now have to seek permission when placing those caches out of respect for the residents. it seems that they were getting complaints from muggles who didn't understand the game.

[Spice]

For real? You're saying that most cemetery caches are placed with permission? I don't believe that. In fact, I would say that is what makes them so appealing to geocachers in general, that they are functionally public places that don't require permission. A cemetery board is usually composed of a handful of members who have loved ones buried in the cemetery, and that's it. They control who will and won't be buried there, and the general upkeep of the grounds. I can't imagine any reasonable person denying permission to hide a camoed pill bottle, but I could see some unreasonable person doing it for superstitious and arbitrary reasons. Plus, it ain't like the person you ask is going to "bring it before the board" and sign a contract with you. Personally, I wouldn't bother with asking for permisssion.

I have always asked permission to place a cache no matter where I have hidden it. Even if it is in a "functionally public place" it is still controlled by someone who you should never "assume" would be okay with it. There were some cachers in Texas that did that and that I believed brought brought up the cemetery issues with Groundspeak.

Everyone I have ever asked to place a cache has said I could, so no harm in asking at all. It only takes a minute to make the call.

Asking permission in advance sure would save the trouble if later they really did have a problem with it and it causes some bad publicity like the case in Texas. It was in the papers there and they were trying to pass laws to stop geocaching in cemeteries.

As cachers we should always go the extra mile, if we don't we can expect more and more restrictions from Groundspeak and local governments.

[OldRiverRunner]

Actually, in South Carolina, it is against state law to place a geocache in any cemetery. That restriction has been in place for several years now. So never assume anything when it comes to placing a geocache and especially be careful not to abuse anything, whether you are placing or searching for a geocache.

[likestocanoe]

We always ask permission for placing a cache in any cemetery that we have done, but you might still run into someone visiting a friend or relative that has no idea why your are there. Please, just take the time to thoroughly explain what we do and assure them that we mean no harm and will do mo harm. Cemeteries are sacred places - treat them as such. If there is a visitor close to the cache, just wait to make the grab until another time or trip. They probably don't want to be disturbed.

Ok, that is our 2 cents worth. Thanks for listening.

[captaincooder]

Didn't know that about South Carolina. I don't normally call things stupid, but :roll: ...do they also outlaw geneology enthusiasts and history buffs who trample all over the place taking pictures and notes? How disrespectful! :evil:

I only have one cemetery cache, one that I adopted. I view them as sacred places, just like forests and lakes and streams and canyons and church sanctuaries. I would hide one outside if at all possible, but sometimes it's just not feasible.

I've got a list of 11 local cemeteries without caches. I've asked all of the "residents" in them if they minded, and heard not one "nay." :wink:

[TheRascals]

One of the things I have enjoyed about a cemetery cache is that some of them are in the most beautiful places. I have also seen some very interesting graves. If I knew how to post a picture I have one that is very interesting. They can be seen at Http://drop.io/cemetery
If you have pictures you want to add to this site it should let you and we could all enjoy. I hope it works.

[likestocanoe]

Cute, Captain! Make me smile..... ! ! !

[likestocanoe]

The cemetery pictures are awesome. Where did you guys take those? Would love to find a treasure like that!

[astrodav]

I enjoy cemetary caches & can't remember a single one which I thought was done in a disrespectful way .... although I'm sure that has happened. I'm highly religious myself, thus the reason I don't normally do cemetary caches at night. I want to SEE where I am stepping, so as not to walk over them. But that's just a personal thing & it doesn't bother me if others find MY cemetary-caches at night.

I was bothered only one time by a happening at one of my caches. It was a church-cache, not a cemetary-cache. It was actually on my own land, but more easily accessed from a church parking lot, which I even suggested, with permission from the pastor.

But someone decided to look for it when a funeral was taking place. Well ... personal preference I suppose, and I didn't, nor ever will actually say anything about that type thing on the cache-page. But this is just the type of decision which can NEVER do anything GOOD for the appearence of caching. There are certain circumstances & times where that one cache simply isn't worth that one more smiley on your profile ... pass it up for later.

Same applies to cemetarys, no matter if you are religious or not. If a funeral is taking place, or even if there are simply other people there looking at graves, just go on down the road. Smart decisions like this, in places which CAN be "sensitive", such as cemetarys, will keep our sport from being placed under even more restrictions, rules, regulations, & guidelines than it already has.

[TheRascals]

GC1E8VG This is the cache where the pictures were taken. I had never seen a grave quite like this one. It is very interesting.

[jclaudii]

I think it could be viewed as disrespectful to not allow geocaching in a cemetery. I bet some of you would love to have your headstone become a GC with a secret compartment! What if one's mans wish in SC was to have a geocache placed on his grave so his friends and others could find him! Now he can't...That right was just taken away!

In all respect though, if geocachers can pass one up for the return trip or skip it to go on down and then come back when someone else is there then these things never have to be brought up.

We have two cemetery caches that we have placed before it was required to get permission. I doubt the powers over the cemetery would have trouble with them because they are placed out of the way. I think if someone found it and had trouble with it being there...they could just muggle it and leave a note in it's place or leave a note in it saying to please remove it or call them. Problem solved :)

I don't want to come off as a rule breaker or a "rebel", but sometimes too many rules ruin a good thing. If it is now required I will try and seek permission before we place it so it will hopefully get approved.

to clown4u about your original question...I'm sure someone at the county court house would be able to answer your question and give you permission. It may be handy for certain county locations to have it in writing so if there ever was a problem you have a paper trail :)

[astrodav]

I bet some of you would love to have your headstone become a GC with a secret compartment!


Huummm....Come to think of it, I HAVEN'T updated my will in a few years.


I agree with your "too many rules ruin a good thing" philosophy, MOST especially with a fun & friendly hobby like geocaching.

And a side-benefit that the cemetary actually RECEIVES from geocaching is that several of us have a little tradition of always leaving something respectful before we leave ..... ever notice that many cemetarys have a donation box? They usually have a little slot on them that is just the right size for your pocket change. SOMEONE has to mow the grass & I know for a fact that at least 2 Yell county cemetarys & 1 Scott county one have a Board of Trustees who are aware of this fact, thus they welcome caching with open arms. :wink: :wink:

[captaincooder]

Echo that, Astrodav. I have donated to every cemetery which offered a donation box. As you probably know, the "Salem's Lot" cache (GCXYET) has a donation box that is an ammo can! Maybe if more cemeteries put out donation boxes and had someone to check them often to keep the vandals at bay...

And to the Rascals...I'm having trouble with that link; I'll try again later.

I find myself grabbing my camera half the time and taking plenty of photos at cemeteries--photos of graves, strange tombstones, memorials, the foliage, the churches associated with them. I found an old train car parked by one in McGehee. I found a harmless snake at Woolsey Cem (GCWV1A) that the kids had a great time studying. I've even found relatives of mine that I didn't know existed down in south Arkansas. I found the gravesite of Jesse James, which is right outside the backdoor of where my in-laws live. I never would have known this otherwise.

L2C--something else to make you laugh--I once heard of a geocache that is set at the grave of some fellow named G. O. Cash. For real. Now if I could just find a grave like that somewhere...

[gingerose]

Captian cooper take a trip to Jackson, Tennessee and visit a cache named Old George. I have photos around here somewhere but since I have swithced computer...

[TheRascals]

Http://drop.io/cemetery

I checked the link and it worked for me ok. By the way this I set the site so anyone could upload cemetery pictures to it if they wanted to. Well I think I set it up that way depends if the tech gods are working for me or not.