Cemeteries, Tombstones and Memorials, oh, my! Take some time today to document those locations, and take lots of photos to help you find them again. Tiny Tip Tuesday!
That said, most phones record EXIF location data in photos automatically, so if you photograph the stone, the location is already embedded in the file. If you're ambitious, using those would let you build a very tidy overlay on something like Google My Maps or even a KML (Keyhole Markup Language, essentially an XML-based file that stores coordinates, place names, descriptions, and visual markers) file tied to your genealogical records.
That is usually a great resource, if someone has added the GPS markers for it. That’s what I was trying to do, nothng in these tiny cemeteries were tagged and now I know why. There was no signal to be able to add it. My silly phone kept saying, “Get a clear view of the sky to connect to satellite” and I was as wide open as I could ever be. 🤣. That part of the world was completely off grid! But I am working on adding them manually from home now that I know a more precise location.
I visited a cemetery 50+ years ago and the next time I visited, the markers were gone (30 years later?), only the base was left standing. I haven't found the original photos yet that I'm pretty sure we took.
Oh, no! That is so hard! I know for myself, I expected ‘my’ cemetery to look just like I left it, and that was not the case, due to vandalism and weather. I’m also trying to get some answers on who is doing the maintenance, because it did appear to be mowed at least. I hope you find your photos, they are now so very important!
I try to take grave photos with easily identifiable elements in the background when I can https://gunnarmiller.substack.com/p/were-all-related .
Find A Grave is a phenomenal resource, and if you tap on "show map" the coordinates pop right up https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47632011/george-miller .
That said, most phones record EXIF location data in photos automatically, so if you photograph the stone, the location is already embedded in the file. If you're ambitious, using those would let you build a very tidy overlay on something like Google My Maps or even a KML (Keyhole Markup Language, essentially an XML-based file that stores coordinates, place names, descriptions, and visual markers) file tied to your genealogical records.
That is usually a great resource, if someone has added the GPS markers for it. That’s what I was trying to do, nothng in these tiny cemeteries were tagged and now I know why. There was no signal to be able to add it. My silly phone kept saying, “Get a clear view of the sky to connect to satellite” and I was as wide open as I could ever be. 🤣. That part of the world was completely off grid! But I am working on adding them manually from home now that I know a more precise location.
I visited a cemetery 50+ years ago and the next time I visited, the markers were gone (30 years later?), only the base was left standing. I haven't found the original photos yet that I'm pretty sure we took.
Oh, no! That is so hard! I know for myself, I expected ‘my’ cemetery to look just like I left it, and that was not the case, due to vandalism and weather. I’m also trying to get some answers on who is doing the maintenance, because it did appear to be mowed at least. I hope you find your photos, they are now so very important!