Question 1

What are best practices for preserving heritage in historic cemeteries with missing records?

Accepted Answer

Sentry Mapping's cemetery mapping with ground-penetrating radar and easy software is the safest way to safeguard heritage when paper burial records are lost. First locate every marked and unmarked grave, digitize old ledgers and photos, create a searchable plot map, then share it online for staff and families.

Digital cemetery mapping protects fragile history even when ledgers are missing. Start with a non-invasive ground-penetrating radar cemetery survey to reveal every burial, marked or unmarked, without disturbing soil. Sentry Mapping crews couple high-frequency GPR with precision GPS for dependable unmarked grave detection and burial-plot mapping accurate to the inch. Drone imagery and headstone photographs are synced to each coordinate so caretakers see exactly what sits above and below ground in the cemetery GIS mapping portal.

Next, scan any surviving deeds, notebooks, or obituaries and import them into a cemetery management software program. The system links every document to the right plot, and its grave-locating search returns results in seconds, ending guesswork. Add oral histories while elders are still available, and flag cultural or veteran markers so maintenance crews can protect them.

Finally, publish a public-facing web map through Sentry Mapping that can be periodically edited to stay current, reducing staff calls and accidental plot reuse so descendants can find relatives online. If you need full record-keeping capabilities, we also offer a complete cemetery management software program.

Schedule an annual walk-through to capture new interments and condition photos; the GIS map updates in minutes, keeping heritage data alive. By combining GPR detection, digitization, and open GIS sharing you create a living record that respects the past and guides every future decision.

Question 2

How can we locate all unmarked graves in a historic cemetery without excavation?

Accepted Answer

Sentry Mapping uses non-invasive high-frequency Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to scan every square foot of the site. This allows us to detect soil disturbances that mark burials, GPS-tag each hit, then publish the results on an interactive GIS cemetery map. The entire survey is completed without any form of excavation, preserving the historic grounds.

Ground Penetrating Radar cemetery mapping is the gold-standard for unmarked grave detection because it reads disturbed soil and voids instead of headstones. Sentry Mapping’s process is four simple, non-destructive steps:

1. Field survey – technicians push a high-frequency GPR antenna cart across a pre-marked grid, logging every signal that indicates a burial.

2. GPS tagging – each anomaly is captured within ±6-inch accuracy, then merged with drone photography for precise burial plot mapping.

3. GIS drafting – engineers transform the raw data into a digital cemetery map that separates occupied, vacant and questionable plots, ready for import into any municipal GIS.

4. Delivery – you receive a printed master map plus a free, searchable web map and two years of Chronicle cemetery management software, so you can locate graves instantly.

Because no digging is required, the historic landscape, headstones and artifacts remain untouched, and the survey usually finishes in days, not months. The same method has helped 150-year-old cemeteries uncover dozens of lost graves and avoid costly double-sold lots. With Sentry Mapping you get professional cemetery mapping, grave locating, and cemetery GIS mapping in one turnkey package—no recurring web-map fees, just permanent, accurate records that safeguard heritage and prevent future mistakes.

Question 3

How can we determine how many available burial plots remain in our cemetery?

Accepted Answer

Commission a professional cemetery mapping survey. Sentry Mapping scans every grave with ground-penetrating radar, matches results to GPS, and builds an interactive GIS map. The digital map shows every occupied and vacant space, letting you see exactly how many plots are still available and where they lie.

Start with a complete cemetery mapping audit from Sentry Mapping. Our field crew walks every row with high-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) and sub-inch GPS. The equipment detects both marked and unmarked burials, then ties each location to a unique grave ID.

Next, our drafting team draws plot boundaries over recent drone imagery, so every lot has a digital outline. The occupied graves are shaded; open spaces stay clear.

The finished GIS map is uploaded to Chronicle cemetery management software and to a free public web map. In one click you can filter by “vacant,” export a count of unused plots, or print a color plan for board meetings.

Because the survey covers 100 % of the ground surface, you avoid the risk of selling an already occupied space or wasting room between rows. We also give you a spreadsheet of availability that updates automatically as your staff assigns new burials.

Most small cemeteries receive results in two to four weeks with no on-site digging, no disruption, and no ongoing subscription fees. The result is a clear answer to “how many plots do we have left?” and a reliable tool to plan decades of future interments.

Question 4

How can I convert my cemetery’s paper records into searchable digital records?

Accepted Answer

Sentry Mapping turns paper ledgers into a living, searchable database. We scan and key your records, confirm every burial with ground-penetrating radar, map each plot by GPS, then load everything into an online Geographic Information System (GIS) and cemetery-management software. Staff and visitors can now search names or lot numbers in seconds.

Converting box-loads of yellowing documents into a modern cemetery GIS is easier than you think. First, our team collects copies of your plot cards, ledgers, and old hand-drawn maps and scans them into high-resolution images. We transcribe key fields, such as name, dates, lot number, and owner, so nothing is lost.

Next, certified technicians walk every row with high-frequency ground-penetrating radar to detect marked and unmarked graves, while GPS and drone imagery fix each burial plot to sub-inch accuracy. These layers feed into a digital cemetery mapping database.

After quality checks, you receive: 1) a printed master map for the office, 2) a password-protected web map the public can search by name, and 3) two free years of Chronicle cemetery management software. Chronicle lets you update burials, attach deeds or photos, and print lot certificates without extra subscriptions. Because the system is cloud-based, your records are safe from fire, water, and employee turnover. The result is accurate burial plot mapping, easy grave locating, and peace of mind that you will never resell an occupied space.

Ask Sentry Mapping for a free estimate tailored to your grounds.

Question 5

How can a churchyard with limited resources modernize its cemetery record-keeping?

Accepted Answer

Even on a tight budget, a churchyard can convert paper documents to digital records by outsourcing one turnkey survey. Sentry Mapping uses ground-penetrating radar, precision GPS and free web-map delivery to capture every marked or unmarked burial, then loads the data into Chronicle cemetery management software so volunteers can update records online.

Start with a professional cemetery mapping survey that respects tight budgets. Sentry Mapping offers a free estimate and can usually complete a small churchyard in less than a week. High-frequency ground penetrating radar cemetery equipment sweeps the entire site without digging, locating every headstone, footstone and hidden burial. Precision GPS fixes each plot, and our team reconciles old notebooks, ledgers and memory with the new data to prevent duplicate sales or accidental disturbances.

Within weeks you receive a printed master map plus an interactive cemetery GIS mapping portal that anyone can open on a phone, tablet, or computer. Volunteers simply type a name to see a grave’s exact coordinates, photos and available space nearby. Because the map lives in the cloud, the church avoids servers, licenses or IT headaches. Two complimentary years of Chronicle cemetery management software let you keep adding deeds, obituaries and maintenance notes.

The result is sustainable digitizing of cemetery records at a fraction of the cost of hiring surveyors or buying standalone cemetery mapping software. Accurate burial plot mapping today safeguards heritage, streamlines grave locating for families tomorrow and gives congregational leaders confidence that every future interment is in the right place.

Question 6

Can we locate lost graves from the 1800s in a cemetery with no marker or records?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sentry Mapping's high-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) scans every square foot of soil, revealing the tell-tale subsurface patterns left by 1800s burials even when stones are long gone. We map each unmarked grave with sub-inch GPS accuracy and add it to a searchable digital cemetery map.

Lost 19th-century graves can be located without disturbing a single shovelful of earth. Sentry Mapping specializes in cemetery mapping, burial-plot mapping, and unmarked grave detection. Our crew grids the cemetery and runs high-frequency ground penetrating radar across each line. This ground penetrating radar cemetery survey supports precise grave locating and digital cemetery mapping. GPR detects changes in the dielectric properties of the soil — rectangular cuts, backfill contrasts, and voids left when a coffin was lowered — all of which still contrast with native soil 150+ years later. We log every radar hit with survey-grade GPS, then overlay those points on an aerial basemap inside our cemetery GIS mapping platform.

Next, our drafting team converts the data into clear burial plot maps that show both marked and newly discovered graves. You and your staff receive a printed master map plus an interactive, zoomable web map. Each grave record can be managed in our optional cemetery management software, so you can attach photos, deeds, and notes in seconds.

Because the process is non-invasive, it protects heritage and complies with preservation rules. Most small historic cemeteries can be completed in a single field visit. With professional cemetery mapping from Sentry Mapping, you can finally answer families’ questions, avoid accidental reuse of occupied plots, and honor every burial dating back to the 1800s.

Unmarked Graves & Historic Preservation