Cemetery Mapping

Cemetery mapping is one of Seramur & Associates’ specialties. Our use of geophysics (including ground penetrating radar and electric resistivity meters) allows for non-invasive surveying.

Projects involving critical infrastructure development can require that historic cemeteries be identified or moved. Our staff has experience working with families of the descendants and our cemetery maps have assisted in providing closure in these sensitive situations.

Importance

Geophysical surveys at historic cemeteries are used to identify unmarked graves allowing the cemetery boundaries to be delineated. These boundaries typically include burials of indigent people outside of formal cemetery walls. Local or family cemeteries are not uncommon on historic properties. Graves were often marked with wooden crosses or field stones now dislodged from their original location.

Methods

Cemetery Overview

African American Burial Grounds

First Presbyterian Church Cemetery

Assisted the Junaluska Heritage Association in locating and mapping 160 mostly unmarked burials in the African American section of the cemetery. Unmarked burials were located using GPR and electrical resistivity surveys.

Moravian Cemetery

St.Philips Moravian Graveyard 2 historic map.png

St. Philips Moravian Church is the oldest African American church building in North Carolina. The Moravians of Old Salem began segregating their burials after 1816 out of fear of a revolt by enslaved persons and adoption of mainstream southern social customs. The St. Phillips cemetery was used to bury their enslaved persons.

Turners Chapel Cemetery

Ground Penetrating Radar Survey to map potential unmarked burials in the cemetery at Turners Chapel AME Church in High Point, NC

Cedar Hill Cemetery

Formerly enslaved Gullah Geechee people of the Cedar Hill Plantation stayed in the area after emancipation and formed the Kitty Branch community. The Cedar Hill cemetery was used by these formerly enslaved people and their ancestors.

West Chapel Hill Potters Field

Electrical resistivity data from West Chapel Hill Cemetery

Description coming soon!

Deep River Friends Cemetery

GPR survey of the African American section of this Quaker cemetery in High Point, NC.

Other Projects

Example Cemetery Project

View examples of the surveys we run and the type of data we collect to see if our cemetery GPR mapping services are right for you.

Hartley Cemetery

SAPC employees using GPR at Clemson Woodland Cemetery

Unmarked burials in the Hartley Cemetery had to be located so they could be moved for high school construction.

Stokes Cemetery

3D rendition of GPR data from Stoke Cemetery

The analysis software used by SAPC allows us to display and interpret our data in various ways. This 3D rendition of ER data from Stokes Cemetery is just one example.

Phifer Cemetery

Over the years, it is not uncommon for grave markers to be dislodged or displaced. Seramur & Associates is able to identify potential unmarked graves that are over 200 years old.

Lindsay Cemetery

More details coming soon!

Holden Heirs Cemetery

The boundary of the abandoned Holden Heirs Cemetery was delineated to preserve the area's history. SAPC's work was vital to protecting it from urban development.

Seramur & Associates, PC

Cemetery Mapping

Importance

African American Burial Grounds

Other Projects