What's New?

A handful of new articles have been added, including new county maps for Adams and Arapahoe Counties. These should help people locate the cemeteries in these counties. Also new is an article on cemetery superstitions.

Coming Soon!

Work on the database is proceeding slowly, so, I've put other projects on hold for now. The plan is still to debut the search feature in April, so, content updates my still be slow until that point.

The newsletter feature called "Ask the editor," answering questions from readers, still seems a great idea, but, I didn't get any questions. If this month there aren't any questions, well, I'll get the hint. This is *only* for Grave News readers. I won't publish a question if you indicate you'd prefer a personal response. To ask a question, go to: http://www.colorado-cemeteries.com/editor.html. Any question is welcome, whether it's about the Colorado Cemetery site, or an article in this newsletter.

Since last newsletter, I've completed a few more cemetery transcriptions are awaiting the completion of the database for inclusion on the site. Making the maps and galleries is a bit slower than I'd like, especially with the database work, so, for a taste of these cemeteries, look for pictures on Facebook!

Featured Article

A Year on the Web

Colorado-Cemeteries.com celebrates its first anniversary in April. It has been a strange year, and I've learned more about cemeteries than I ever imagined.

I've learned about towns that I never knew existed, many of which don't even exist any more, but still have a cemetery as a monument to the settlement itself. I've discovered that some towns changed names more than once, and some cemeteries have never had a formal name, so they're known by multiple names. When I started the site, I knew that no single cemetery site contained all the information I was looking for, but I never realized how difficult that something as seemingly simple as a definitive list of the cemeteries in an area didn't really exist. Many small community cemeteries are well-known to the people that live in those communities, and take it for granted that it's obvious how to find them. Sadly, it's meant lots of driving around blindly, looking for unnamed roads or following misleading or incomplete directions.

Just as soon as I think I've found every cemetery in a particular county, a new one appears. It's a never ending task. At times like these, when I feel like giving up, that I remember that if one's life's work can be completed in a lifetime, the work is probably not worth doing. It may not be the most cheery sentiment, but, it does remind me that it is a job worth doing. I figure if I can prevent someone else from driving around in the middle of an empty prairie, staring expectantly at the site of a cemetery that no longer exists, well, I've done a good job and contributed something to this unique field.

I've also learned that there are more "cemetery people" out there than I'd first realized, and I'm grateful. I'm always a tad hesitant to share with people this odd hobby of mine for feel that people will find it at the very least, a bit strange, if not outright ghoulish. However, more times than not, I've encountered people who are at least genuinely interested, and other times, people who are fond of cemeteries, and asked to tag along on future treks.

At any rate, thanks for joining me on this journey. I hope you stick around to see how it ends.

Cemetery of the Month

This month, I chose Mount Vernon Cemetery in the Jefferson County. It's a tiny cemetery, with a great view, and it's also the site of some of the oldest burials in Colorado. It takes a bit of a hike to get to the cemetery, so if you've trouble walking up hills, this is probably not the cemetery to visit. The walking trail can be busy, but it's a great way to get out of the house and enjoy spring, so long as the weather holds. If we're fortunate enough to have another spring snow, it will make a muddy hike, so plan to go on a dry day.

Around the Web

Green burial has been growing, and although the recession seems to be shifting people toward cremation, some people are looking for a better way. For a slightly different take on the subject, here's a recent NY Times blog entry. And, finally, in case you missed the Colorado-Cemeteries entry on green burial in Colorado, here's a chance to look at it again.

Ever thought of returning to the halls of ivy as a permanent resting spot? The Florida legislature is considering allowing colleges to be cemeteries.

In a recession, every income stream is considered. An energy company has gotten a permit for natural gas wells in a Fort Worth cemetery. Fortunately, the federal stimulus bill will benefit a historic cemetery in Alton, IL. In the same vein, a different Texas cemetery has taken a different approach to capitalize on tourism.

Cemeteries often make changes to their policies for family decorating the graves of loved ones. A change to a cemetery in Alabama policy has angered many of the visitors and families.

And lastly, a look at how grief is expressed in the digital age

Find us in Facebook!

More pictures! More discussion! More cemeteries! Introducing a new way to keep up with all the Colorado-Cemeteries.com news, and even talk about the site with other "fans."

Missed an Issue?

Don't fret! All the issues of Grave News can be found online at: http://www.colorado-cemeteries.com/Grave_News-backissues.html