Cemetery Caches

[Semipaw]

I have spent a lot of time caching in north-central Arkansas recently. There are many (probably hundreds) of cemetery caches in this area, and I really love visiting these spots. I usually spend lots of time walking amongst the headstones after I locate the cache, taking in all the history of these places, along with the almost always peaceful solace.

I would love to contribute to this "series" and place caches in some of these places, but I'm unsure of who to seek for permission (or if permission is needed). Finding contacts for most of these places are next to impossible, as some of the ones I have in mind are not well taken care of. Does anybody know if explicit permission is needed for placing a cemetery cache, even in the old rural cemeteries out in the middle of nowhere?

[Buckshot/MamaLlama]

I would love to contribute to this "series" and place caches in some of these places, but I'm unsure of who to seek for permission (or if permission is needed). Finding contacts for most of these places are next to impossible, as some of the ones I have in mind are not well taken care of. Does anybody know if explicit permission is needed for placing a cemetery cache, even in the old rural cemeteries out in the middle of nowhere?

Hey Semipaw,
I do not know about specific permissions. You are absolutely correct about it being next to impossible. Not to mention, what happens if you get permission from one contact but not from another? For my part all of the cemetery caches I own are in cemeteries that have had caches previously and the archive logs all stated that they were opening up the area for other caches. If any had mentioned a problem with the powers-that-be for the cemetery I would not have placed a cache there. There are a few more cemeteries that I am planning on getting to here in Baxter county and I will try to keep them as unobtrusive as I have hopefully placed my others. Hopefully I will not run into any problems but if I do I will most certainly pull the cache and archive the listing. As always I look forward to hunting more of your caches.

[Coon&Bud]

There are lots of these out of the way cemeteries in the area...I hope you do place some more...I was very carefull in placing my new cemetery caches in the area...the Patton cemetery multi final is right on the edge(you will see, it was a hiding spot I could not resist and will part of the landscape for a few years) and so is the Milum multi cache. The regulars I placed were close but not in the cemetery. I would just put them near but not in the cemetery. Thanks for all your caches and I have got to do the Peel Ferry and all the ones of yours I have been wanting to find...as Liketocanoe says there is not enough time in the weekend. Coon&Bud

[captaincooder]

Semipaw, this has been a controversial topic since caching started. I have my own passionate opinions, and others have equally passionate opinions that oppose mine. Personally, I feel that most cemeteries are "public" private areas, like Walmart parking lots; that is, an open invitation to explore. Since geocaching done correctly is no more harmful than other benign activities that occur in graveyards, like genealogy hunting or photography, I see no need to seek anyone's permission to place a reasonable cache container that is low impact and discrete. I also ask myself, what gives any particular person the authority to either grant or deny permission to place a cache in a cemetery? If you have a loved one buried there and you believe it is disrespectful, but I have a loved one there I believe it is honorable, who wins? I think the vast majority of cachers feel that no specific permission is required, and I would say that geocachers' track record in being responsible, respectful stewards of the land testifies on our behalf that we don't overstep our bounds when it comes to cemeteries.