Geocaching in WI cemeteries.. revisited

[gotta run]

@-cheeto- wrote:

perhaps “trying to place one in every cemetery in a county” doesn’t necessarily do the sport much justice.

I’m assuming this isn’t directed at our statement in our SCC caches that we want to “bring new visitors to as many of these places as possible”

On the Left Side of the Road...

[labrat_wr]

My thought is that Geocachers tend to be respectful of wherever they are seeking out a cache, whether it is in a cemetary, city park, playground, parking lot, or in the middle of a forest or swamp. I know it is not 100% but I would hope that most are pretty good at leaving the areas at least as they were if not better.

As far as posting photos, (while I have not done this with all of my photo posts on the series) If you feel uncomfortable snapping the pic of the name, most of these can be logged with the needed information without including the surname in the photo. Or, a bit of creative editing of the photo could make the marker anonymous. I don’t think your post would be deleted if you did such a thing.

of course, those visiting family gravesites must be given that time they deserve. (personally, I don’t know if I have ever run into any mourners in the cemetaries I have visited, just other cachers, but most have been rural sites)

Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.

[marc_54140]

@-cheeto- wrote:

“trying to place one in every cemetery in a county”

One cemetery is just one chapter in the history of a particular area. To know the county, you need to ‘read’ the entire book.

Every cemetery has its own personality, due to it’s location, when it was established, who established it, if its still active, etc.

[Team Honeybunnies]

Everyone will get something different out of their visit to a graveyard. From the caching perspective, some will go into that cemetery looking just for the smiley, get it and leave. Others will point out stones attractive to them, others are interested in the bronze plaques of the newer veterans, some like the originality of the new engraving styles. My area of interest is the distinctive Civil War markers, and I always scan for them as I get out of the car, noting important units and days of death signifying particular battles. It’s interesting to see veterans from every state of the Union interred on Wisconsin soil, and every once in a while a Confederate veteran.

My point is that there’s a lot to see in the cemeteries if you look for it. Some will not see it because it’s uninteresting to them, which is fair. We can’t all be the same. Some want that find and that’s it. Some consider our presence in the cemeteries an abomination in and of itself, though they have not made their voices strongly heard.

As for pictures, I’ve never thought much about it from the perspective that it’s wrong. The ones that interest me are almost the stone equivalent of historical documents. At some point, the family fades and all that’s left to remember someone is that stone and those who see it. I personally do not know where my great grandparents are buried. As time passes markers become orphans, without a family. I feel that the visits of people like us and of course the geneologists bring life back to these country plots. Pictures highlight something others may want to see, and maybe when they arrive they will find something that piques their interest as well. We have a great history in our own neighborhoods and townships if we take the time to look.

I’m not going to be silly and say that I have a profound experience every time I visit, but I almost always do the scan to see what I can see. There have been a couple moments though. I’ve placed a cache bringing you to the marker of a soldier fallen at Gettysburg. The marker is just the standard name and unit marker, with nothing to offer a clue except the date and a knowledge of the unit. Standing at that marker gives me the cold pricklies. I’ve read about his unit and the sacrifices they made on that battlefield, and I’ve stood in the place where that sacrifice was made while on vacation. That’s what I’m looking for when I scan the stones.

[Lostby7]

I really enjoy visiting caches in cemeteries. I feel that they are part museum and part art gallery. The history inscribed and ornate (or simple) monuments always leave an impression on me. The older the better, as I like to look back and wonder about the lives of those who passed so young or how they managed to live so long.

The items placed on sites really make me pause and add a feeling of familiarity with those who have passed. Seeing the love left behind in the form of an inscription or memento often makes me feel warm…or sad. We are only here for a while and then we leave. Very often all that is left of us after a few generations is a marker in some field where if we are lucky some one will stop and visit; often this visitor is a stranger just passing through. I have been to a few hilltop cemeteries where the peace and tranquility is so thick in the air that I could not help but feel one with all of time and nature.

Photos? So long as they are respectful I see no problems. Just treat the area with respect, keep the hunts short while there are visitors there (or come back later) and if placing a cache there make it a fairly simple find.

[-cheeto-]

of course, those visiting family gravesites must be given that time they deserve. (personally, I don’t know if I have ever run into any mourners in the cemetaries I have visited, just other cachers, but most have been rural sites)

I have several times… Actually just about every cemetery I have visited to find a cache had family visiting. I guess I stay too close to civilization 😛

In regards to gotta run’s statement, I am not singling anyone out or pointing any fingers at any cache owners except maybe marc, he’s fun to pick on. 😆

[sandlanders]

Last Saturday I joined the Fifth Annual Cemetery Walk put on by the Adams County Historical Society. A tour goes to two or three area cemeteries where “spirits” give stories of their lives and the area as they knew it. Some of the stories are touching, some are humorous, all are informative.

This year was a large group and there was some chatter, and some walking on the graves, and even a few headstones were leaned on at times during the narratives, but I think everyone was respectful. I felt it was living history, and the people who had died 50 or 150 years ago became more real to me.

Coming from a long line of “scatter the ashes” people, I never had much occasion to visit cemeteries until geocaching (and until we got older and more people we knew…well, you know), but I can’t see laughing and running around looking for information or containers, especially when mourners are present.

I do think WSQ caches are valid and a good source of information and history. Respect is the key.

[Miata]

@marc_54140 wrote:

@-cheeto- wrote:

“trying to place one in every cemetery in a county”

One cemetery is just one chapter in the history of a particular area. To know the county, you need to ‘read’ the entire book.

Every cemetery has its own personality, due to it’s location, when it was established, who established it, if its still active, etc.

Don’t forget “The olde well”. 😆

There are indeed many story’s to be told. Recently, I took my brother and his wife to the Wolf River Cemetery to show them our Grandparents grave. We walked all around looking for other relatives and found 3 Elsie Vogt’s! 😯

After asking my Mom about our find, she said that she knew all of them and that 3 brothers married 3 Elsie’s! They were referred to as “John’s Elsie, or Ed’s Elsie for example”. Kind of a cute story I thought. One of the other Elsie’s even made the wedding cake for my grandmothers wedding!

These are the story’s that some day will be lost to time and left for others to ponder.

[gotta run]

@-cheeto- wrote:

Don’t hunt cemetary caches after dark.
Cache owners should delete logs of geocachers which describe inappropriate behavior in the cemetary, including caching after dark.

This makes good sense and is posted as a rule at many cemeteries. But I’ve seen it referenced as a Wisconsin law. I would reference this in our cache listings if I can verify it is in fact a law but I can’t find this in a statute search, but I’m not sure I’m looking in the right spot.

Any help?

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Lostby7]

Hummm…I’ll see if I can’t find one….I thought I had one but was mistaken.

[marc_54140]

Sweetllife indicated to me that a county coop told them it’s a state law not to be in cemeteries after dark.

I was not able to find any reference to that.

Likely is a law, as vandals seems to like the dark to work in..

[gotta run]

I can’t find it in the big green statute books either…or at least they used to be big green books the last time I looked in them, now I am looking online with no luck.

I believe the county cop would tell you it’s a law whether or not it was, just because he or she felt it was a good idea. (I am not disparaging the police here, I am speaking from my past experience in local government.) I just want to verify this in fact in the state code b4 I go making a bunch of changes.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Jeremy]

There are all kinds of state statutes describing how a cemetery must be run. Even one saying you can’t drive a snowmobile across a cemetery without permission. 🙂 But I don’t see any statutes requiring that you not be in them after dark either.

So I think it would be up to the individual cemeteries to make such a rule. I worked in a municipal cemetery (summer job) that had many rules about placement and size of markers, types of plantings, care of grave sites by individuals, etc. but I don’t remember anything stating people could not visit after dark. There were no “visiting hours” posted either.

[Team Deejay]

My research yields the same as everyone else, no STATE law seems to apply. I would not be surprised, however, if there are statutes in various counties. Many cemeteries do have posted hours, but that is either the rules of a private business or the city/village/county running the cemetery.

[JimandLinda]

I believe that most cemeteries are run by cemetery associations or are owned by churches as part of their property. Records must be kept on the purchase price of cemetery lots, as it is illegal to buy and resell lots for a profit. These same associations can set their own rules as to hours of admittance.
It is my opinion that cemeteries allow 24 hour visitations by family members as a courtesy to grievers. I have known some teenage grievers who just HAD to talk to Dad, and went to his grave in the middle of the night for comfort. This is why I don’t believe in nighttime WSQ seeking.
The City of Waupun patrols the Forest Mound Cemetery because of past vandalism.
If you aren’t comfortable doing a WSQ hide, then don’t. But there is alot of history to be shared. Why else would people put out flags and symbols but to draw attention to the accomplishments and the legacy left by past generations.
We owe it to the families of those interred to be respectful and take some time to learn from past generations, as part of our cache visits in Wisconsins cemeteries.

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