Question 1

Can we upload photos of headstones/monuments and link them to each mapped record for staff and/or the public?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With Sentry Mapping's digital cemetery mapping and our optional cemetery management software program, you can attach headstone or monument photos to each mapped grave record. Staff with the right permissions can upload images, and you can also choose to display headstone photos on the public, read-only online map.

Sentry Mapping cemetery mapping can include headstone and monument photos linked to each mapped record for staff and for the public. After Sentry Mapping completes your GPR cemetery survey and burial plot mapping, your cemetery GIS mapping data is delivered in an interactive digital map where each grave is a clickable record.

With our optional cemetery management software program, authorized staff such as owners, administrators, and managers can upload images and attach them to the correct plot or burial record, while view-only users remain read-only.

For public access, you can enable online public access so families can search, view basic interment details, and see a headstone photo to confirm they have the right location. Public users cannot edit anything. You control what is visible, down to specific fields or even specific graves, so you can keep sensitive information staff-only.

Question 2

Can you map overgrown or abandoned cemeteries where many markers are hidden by vegetation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sentry Mapping can map overgrown or abandoned cemeteries even when headstones are buried in vegetation as long as the ground is clear enough for our GPR scanner to navigate the surface like a push mower would. We use ground penetrating radar cemetery surveys plus precision GPS to locate marked and unmarked graves without digging, then deliver a printed master map and an interactive web map your staff and visitors can search.

Sentry Mapping’s cemetery mapping is a strong fit for overgrown or abandoned cemeteries because we do not rely on visible headstones. Using ground penetrating radar cemetery scanning, we survey the grounds in a grid and pinpoint soil disturbance and voids that indicate burials, supporting unmarked grave detection even when markers are hidden, broken, or gone. The GPR scanner needs to roll across the ground much like a push mower, so if vegetation is too dense to navigate safely, you typically only need light trimming or mowing in the scan lanes — not excavation.

We then combine subsurface results with survey-grade GPS and drone mapping for a high-resolution aerial view of paths, sections, and remaining monuments. This produces practical, shareable deliverables: updated burial plot mapping, cemetery GIS mapping layers, and a clickable, searchable web map, plus a printed master map for the office.

For ongoing recordkeeping, you can manage everything in a cemetery management software program. We serve cemeteries across the 48 contiguous U.S. states.

Question 3

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 4

How can I locate unmarked graves in an old cemetery without disturbing the ground?

Accepted Answer

Use high-frequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to scan the cemetery surface, then overlay the subsurface reflections on a precise GPS/GIS map. This non-invasive method detects unmarked grave shafts, outlines each burial plot, and creates a digital record—so you find every grave without digging or disturbing the soil.

Ground-penetrating radar cemetery surveys are the gold standard for unmarked grave detection because they read what lies below the turf instead of moving it. During a Sentry Mapping cemetery survey, technicians roll a high-frequency GPR cart across each walkway and row.

The antenna sends radio waves about 12 ft deep; when the signal hits a disturbed soil column (the signature of a grave shaft) it bounces back, creating a hyperbola visible on screen. We record every reflection with survey-grade GPS, then feed that data into our cemetery GIS mapping workflow. Within days you receive a digital cemetery mapping file that pinpoints each burial plot—marked or not—overlaid on recent drone imagery. Because the process is contact-less and lightweight, there is zero damage to headstones, landscaping, or fragile historic soil layers.

Beyond the map, you get a printed master plan, a searchable web map, and two free years of Chronicle cemetery management software. Staff can click any plot to view burial details, upload documents, or confirm availability before selling a space. This combination of GPR grave locating and intuitive software eliminates guesswork, prevents accidental disturbance, and preserves heritage while maximizing usable ground, all without a single shovel hitting dirt.

Question 5

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.

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