GPS Grave Location Services for Cemeteries

Grave Locating with GPR

Sentry Mapping provides Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) services to graveyards and cemeteries across the United States. Our grave locating and cemetery mapping services are designed to provide Cemetery Managers and organizations with the exact locations of each burial site on their grounds.

Ground penetrating radar equipment on a grassy lawn
Aerial view of a cemetery plot map

Locate Unmarked Graves with GPR

GPR works to locate unmarked or lost graves by sending radar signals into the earth to detect disturbed soil and voids in the earth. With each grave in your cemetery accurately located you will gain a more complete picture of the subsurface layout of the ground.

Mark The Location of Graves with GRP Data

GPR systems use antennas that transmit signals into the surface of the Earth. As these signals meet different materials underground, they are reflected back to the receiver. When this process is repeated over a specific area it is called a GPR scan. This process helps determine the location of soil disturbances and underground voids where known and unknown buried remains are located.

Digital Cemetery Map
Survey instrument in a cemetery

GPR Grave Locating Survey

Each portion of the cemetery that is being scanned is sectioned off into a grid. Then the GPR system passes along the grid lines until every square foot of space is covered. The GPR field technician will mark the spot where each hyperbola appears on the display screen. A hyperbola indicates that there is disturbed Earth in that area, signifying a gravesite.

Identify and Locate Burial Sites With GPR

Grave sites that are 50 years old or more produce a less distinct hyperbola in the GPR data. However, the highly experienced GPR field technicians with Sentry Mapping have the training to detect even the slightest evidence of disturbed soil that indicated a burial.

grave marker

Determine Accurate Burial Locations

Determine the exact location of known and unknown burials with GPR scanning technology. Whether you have general details of the grave’s location, or you are unsure if a burial exists there or not – our team of GPR professionals will find the answers to your questions and ensure you have an accurate understanding of the area’s subsurface topography.

Benefits of Locating Graves with GPR

  • Gain an accurate understanding of your property’s underground layout
  • Discover lost or unmarked graves
  • The process is non-invasive and non-destructive to burial sites
Cemetery with headstones, mapping equipment, and a building

GPR Can Identify Difficult to Detect Graves

Some graves that are particularly old, have had their headstones damaged, or were originally left unmarked can be misplaced or lost over time. With our state-of-the-art ground penetrating radar technology, Sentry Mapping’s team of experts is able to detect the location of even the oldest of burial sites.

GPR Services for Grave Locating

We provide GPR grave locating services throughout the United States to churches, cemeteries, organizations, and even private landowners. Additionally, we offer Cemetery Mapping with GPR as well as Cemetery GIS services. We also provide utility mapping services for cities and municipalities across the country.

GPR equipment and a headstone

Sentry Mapping Grave Locating Services

Sentry Mapping provides state-of-the-art GRP grave locating services to cemeteries and graveyards all across the United States. Our team of professionals is standing by ready to answer any questions you may have regarding our services and deliver your quote. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you locate graves in your cemetery.

A 150+ year-old historic cemetery faced a significant challenge: it had no records or maps of its burial sites. This lack of documentation left the caretakers unsure about the availability of space for new burials, raising concerns about the preservation of the cemetery’s heritage and the respect due to those interred.

Sentry Mapping Services stepped in with a comprehensive approach to solve the cemetery’s challenges. Utilizing advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology, the team meticulously scanned the entire area to locate unmarked graves. This thorough investigation was followed by the creation of a detailed map that not only marked every known burial but also included names, birth and death dates, creating a rich tapestry of the cemetery’s history. To complement this, Sentry Mapping provided a clickable and searchable web map, making navigation and management effortless for the caretakers—all at no additional cost.

Thanks to Sentry Mapping’s expertise, the cemetery now has a clear understanding of its layout and capacity for future burials. This newfound knowledge ensures that every inch of sacred ground is used respectfully and efficiently, honoring the memory of those at rest. Moreover, the digital tools provided have secured the cemetery’s heritage for future generations, making it easier for families and historians to connect with their past. The once uncertain terrain of the cemetery is now a carefully mapped and cherished space, its legacy preserved and its management streamlined.

Sentry Mapping surveyed and mapped three cemeteries in our small community. It was amazing how many unknown graves were found, many dating as far back as the 1800s. The older cemeteries had rocks and pieces of wood for grave markers that had been moved or lost over the years. With the help of Sentry Mapping our community was able to put a permanent marker where each grave was located. We were very pleased with Sentry Mapping. They did a fantastic job and I would recommend them to anyone who needs this service.
– Joseph F.
We hired Sentry Mapping to locate my great-grandfather’s grave which was without a marker for more than 100 years. Due to a lack of cemetery documentation, our new memorial was placed in his guardian family’s plot; however, we could not rest until we were sure we had found his actual resting place. Sentry Mapping located Fred and the cemetery now recognizes his burial in their documents. It is a huge relief to know we got it right! His life needed this celebration, and we needed the peace of closure. Thank you so much, Benton, we truly appreciate all that you did for our family!
– Thomas S.
I couldn’t be happier with my experience working with Sentry Mapping for remapping our cemetery! They made the whole process so painless and easy- Benton was so easy to communicate with and was a HUGE help in cleaning up a giant mess. Thank you so much for your services!
– Stepanie S.

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