I have personally visited cemeteries (individually and with family)
through out my life.  I have relatives who are avid with genealogy and
often go through cemeteries to look for references to a family member
that they may not be able to locate in paper records (destroyed due to
fires, floods, never being written).

As an adult, I have taken tours of cemeteries often attached to "ghost
walks" though my interest has always been the historical significance of
folk lore/ghost tales handed down and the implications of their
meanings.  My sister and I also contemplate the meanings behind
increases in the burial numbers during certain years (epidemics, wars,
moving patterns, etc.) whenever we visit cemeteries. These are always a
wonderful reminder of how far science and technology has advanced to
increase our life expectancy.

I think cemetery tours could be a vibrant and interesting opportunity
for many museums - especially if local history and genealogy can be
referenced and explained in the burial patterns. I would love it if more
of the cemeteries in older historic sites provided supplementary
materials that told me more about such things as the epidemics and life
styles/lengths  that are reflected on the tombstones.

Alexis Parker
Consultant
Jacobson Consulting Applications, Inc.
Helping non-profits work smarter
Phone: 412-745-1701
Fax: 412-745-1701
http://www.jcainc.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Laura Wheaton
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 4:30 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] cemetery walks

I'm curious about what you all think about this type of program. What
purpose 
does it serve? Are they worthwhile, and why? What challenges do you face
in 
implementation? Do all museums want to put one on? why or why not?

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