Question 1

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 2

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 3

How long does it take to map a municipal cemetery from survey to web‑map launch?

Accepted Answer

Sentry Mapping’s cemetery mapping service instantly turns ground-penetrating radar and high-precision GPS survey data into a clean, scalable cemetery map. Every grave—including unmarked burials—appears in its exact location, and plot boundaries are redrawn automatically, giving you an accurate master map plus an interactive online version within a few days to a few weeks depending on the size of your cemetery.

Professional cemetery mapping with Sentry Mapping replaces time-consuming hand redrawing with automated digital drafting. After technicians scan your grounds with high-frequency ground penetrating radar, they capture accurate GPS points for each marked and unmarked grave. Those coordinates flow directly into GIS software, where AutoCAD-style routines auto-draft fresh lot lines, walking paths, and section labels. The result is a to-scale cemetery plot map that matches reality—no guesswork, no erasure marks.

Need to update a burial record later? Edits made in Chronicle cemetery management software immediately appear on both maps, eliminating duplicate data entry. Municipal GIS officers can also import the shapefiles and attribute tables directly into ArcGIS or QGIS, keeping citywide records in sync. Because the entire drafting workflow is automated from the original survey data, you avoid costly drafting fees and gain a future-proof, digital foundation for perpetual care, plot auditing, and heritage preservation.

Question 4

What is cemetery mapping?

Accepted Answer

Cemetery mapping is the process of creating an accurate, searchable map of every grave and plot in a cemetery, including unmarked burials. Using tools like GPS, GIS, aerial imagery, and ground penetrating radar, Sentry Mapping documents exact locations so you can protect graves, avoid double-sold plots, and guide visitors quickly.

Cemetery mapping is the process of documenting where every burial and plot sits, then turning that into a map your staff and visitors can search. Done right, it combines surface features like rows, roads, and sections with what is below ground.

Sentry Mapping provides professional cemetery mapping across the 48 contiguous United States using survey-grade GPS, cemetery GIS mapping, drone or aerial imagery, and ground penetrating radar cemetery scans for unmarked grave detection. Depending on your needs, that may include:

– Burial Plot Mapping to mark each gravesite and redraw plot lines

– Grave Locating for a specific missing or unmarked burial

– Cemetery Survey and Drafting to build an accurate as-built map even when paper records are wrong or missing

– Web Maps for Cemeteries that are clickable and searchable with no annual fee

Your deliverables typically include a printed master map plus a digital cemetery map you can open online to search names, view plot details, and see where space is sold, reserved, or available. For ongoing record work, Sentry also offers Cemetery Management Software with Chronicle, with two years of free Chronicle Viewer access when you partner, so you can keep the map and records current over time.

Question 5

What is the average cost per acre for a cemetery mapping project using ground‑penetrating radar?

Accepted Answer

Sentry Mapping provides a free, no-obligation estimate for each project. Every property is unique and the exact cost varies with soil type, terrain, tree cover, and record condition. Quotes include full GPR coverage, high-precision GPS positioning, drone imagery, and the conversion of raw scans into a color-coded digital cemetery map with printed and interactive deliverables.

On a typical project, Sentry Mapping prices cemetery mapping on a per-acre basis, adjusting the rate only when unusual features demand extra field time. Smaller, wooded, or hilly sites sit near the upper end because thick roots, uneven ground, and heavy clay slow data collection. Flat, open acreage with sandy soil processes faster and often lands closer to the lower figure. Per-acre pricing also drops when you survey several adjoining acres at once, because crew travel and equipment set-up are spread over more ground.

The quoted rate covers far more than a quick sweep. Sentry Mapping’s team grids every square foot with high-frequency GPR and sub-inch GPS to detect marked and unmarked graves. Drone imaging captures a current orthomosaic. Our GIS specialists then turn raw scans into a color-coded digital cemetery map that pinpoints each burial plot, labels ownership, and links photos or documents. You receive a printed master map, an interactive web map with no annual subscription fees, and two years of complimentary access to Chronicle cemetery-management software so staff can update records in real time.

Because every property is unique, Sentry offers a free, no-obligation estimate. Most managers find the service pays for itself by preventing lost plots, avoiding costly digging errors, and opening up sellable space revealed during the survey. Click here to contact us today to discuss your site and receive a customized quote.

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