Cemeteries

Cemetery Laws, Preservation/Restoration and Misc. Cemetery-Related Topics

Cemetery Laws

Cemeteries are governed by laws of the respective 50 states. That includes issues of ownership, preservation, destruction and vandalism. Fortunately, the states have begun to recognize the importance of preserving cemeteries and impose significant criminal penalties for disturbing remains or artifacts. The laws are written and organized entirely differently and topic coverage may be different, but the gist is mostly the same.

The following is only a collection of some notes and is obviously not the result of an exhaustive survey.

Compendium

A very comprehensive index of cemetery laws and other pertinent information is indexed by state at: SavingGraves.org - States

Illinois

Illinois Cemetery laws are located in Illinois Compiled Statutes 765 ILCS 835/1. The laws were revised effective 17 June 2005 by Public Act 94-044

Indiana

TBA

Missouri

Summary from Self

For full-frame version: Missouri Cemetery Laws

Kentucky

Summary from University of Louisville

For full-frame version: Summary of Kentucky Cemetery Laws

Texas

Burger's "Definitions in Cemetery Law in Texas"

For full-frame version: Burger's "Definitions in Cemetery Law in Texas" Includes statute citations.

Cemetery Preservation and Restoration

Central Missouri Cemeteries "Locate / Protect / Preserve Our Pioneer Cemeteries" A huge amount of detail information about preserving cemeteries, focused on Central Missouri, but much information applicable to all.
Gravestone Preservation VERY extensive and comprehensive information.
Association of Gravestone Studies (AGS)
- AGS FAQ's: Detail information on gravestone cleaning methods - Do's and Dont's
"Saving Graves" website - Main Page
Texas Historical Commision
Click on "Cemeteries" link at left for sub-menu, which includes:
- Texas Historical Commision Cemetery Guidelines
  Excellent discussion. Should be model for other states. Requires PDF.
Restoration of Hunter Cemetery (Bureau County, Illinois)
Includes pictures of ghosts!
Scotland Graves Preservation

Misc. Cemetery Topics and LInks

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is used to map cemeteries and locate unmarked graves.
- Wikipedia - Ground Penetrating Radar
- "What is Ground Penetrating Radar?" An introduction.
- Eastman Article - Ground Penetrating Radar
- GeoModel is a commercial company that performs GPR surveys for different purposes. See GeoModel Graves
- Saving Graves - GPR
- Case Study - Robins Air Force Base (Georgia)
- Reference list - from Geological Society of London
Grave Dowsing aka Grave Witching
- Grave Dowsing by Brenda Marble
  Lengthy article, detailed "how-to" instructions.
- American Society of Dowsers
- Canadian Society of Dowsers
  - Dowsing with L-Rods
  - Grave Dowsing
- British Society of Dowsers
Funeral Regulations in North America From an Islam website, discusses requirements by state regarding burial of the dead from the perspective of handling death privately. Other areas of the website have very interesting discussion of Muslim burial requirements and rituals.
A Cemetery in Your Back Yard A Pioneer Cemetery in (now) Oak Brook, Illinois which was covered up by developer Paul Butler is discovered in a resident's back yard. Chicago Tribune article.

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