Can LiDAR locate unmarked graves?

LiDAR documents visible ground and surface features. It does not, by itself, detect underground or unmarked graves. Projects requiring subsurface investigation may require ground-penetrating radar and appropriate specialists.

Is this a legal boundary survey?

No. Cemetery Atlas focuses on cemetery documentation, mapping, records organization, and preservation. Legal boundary determination and regulated surveying services must be performed by appropriately licensed professionals.

Can you work with our existing cemetery records?

Yes. We can review burial registers, plot books, paper maps, spreadsheets, photographs, and other legacy records, then reconcile available information into an organized record.

What can a completed project include?

Depending on the project, deliverables may include a printable cemetery map, searchable grave index, AutoCAD drawing, organized archival records, and field documentation.

Who does Cemetery Atlas work with?

Municipalities and parish governments, churches, cemetery associations, family cemetery organizations, and historic preservation or heritage groups.

Do you only work with large cemeteries?

No. Project scope depends on the cemetery’s condition, records, goals, and available resources, not simply its size.

What happens during an initial project review?

We review what records and site information you have, clarify what you want to accomplish, and identify a practical next step.

Preserve the cemetery. Organize the record. Make the history usable.

Historic cemetery mapping, documentation, and search-ready records for Louisiana municipalities, churches, cemetery associations, and preservation organizations.

Request a Project Review

View the Carron Cemetery Project

Conceptual visualization.

The Critical Need for Organized Cemetery Documentation

Fragmented records and degrading physical markers put historic cemeteries at risk. Cemetery Atlas provides a practical solution to centralize knowledge and preserve stewardship for future generations.

For municipalities, churches, cemetery associations, and preservation groups, organized records make day-to-day stewardship and future planning easier.

Services

01

Cemetery Mapping & LiDAR

Document cemetery grounds with maps, field photography, and 3D point clouds. We connect visible site features with available records to support preservation and practical stewardship.

02

Records Digitization & Searchable Indexing

Converting paper records into organized, searchable digital information through careful transcription and organized digital files with references to their source records.

03

CAD & Administrative Mapping

Structured spatial mapping for administrative use. While not a legal survey, our digital layouts provide organizations with clear tools for plot management and future planning.

04

Preservation Inventory & Historical Documentation

Comprehensive field documentation of visible features to support long-term stewardship. We assist associations in developing maintenance plans and heritage records for future generations.

LIDAR MAPPING & POINT CLOUDS

Explore the cemetery in three dimensions.

LiDAR captures visible grounds and structures as a detailed 3D point cloud. Move through the reconstruction, rotate your view, and examine the captured site from any direction. Bring monuments, paths, terrain, and their relationships into one navigable record for preservation and planning.

Educational example: Westview Abbey, Atlanta. By Joel Silverman Studio (2024). Third-party demonstration, not a Cemetery Atlas project.

View on Vimeo

Request a LiDAR Project Review

Coverage and deliverables are agreed for each site. Surface documentation is not a legal boundary survey or underground grave detection.

Louisiana Proof of Concept: Carron Cemetery

The Carron Cemetery proof of concept brings mapping and available grave records together to support preservation and practical stewardship. The project map and field photographs shown here document the site’s visible features.

CARRON CEMETERY: PROJECT MAP

Project Deliverables

Printable cemetery map
Searchable grave index
AutoCAD site drawing
Organized digital files
Field documentation

Note: Surface mapping documents visible features. Non-legal survey documentation.

Carron Cemetery field photograph of a grave slab and headstone in grass

Carron Cemetery field photograph of a weathered grave slab and headstone beside a fence

Carron Cemetery field photograph showing grave slabs and markers across the grassy grounds

Carron Cemetery field photograph of a raised grave slab with paired upright headstones

How It Works

01

Review Existing Records

Review available maps, burial registers, spreadsheets, plot books, photographs, and other source records to understand the information available before field work.

02

Document the Site

Capture photographs and mapping information for the visible features included in the agreed project scope.

03

Reconcile and Organize

Compare field information with available records to identify discrepancies and document what can be confirmed, creating a searchable index with source references and unresolved questions clearly noted.

04

Deliver a Maintainable System

Handing over organized digital archives, maps, and administrative documentation to ensure the long-term stewardship of the historic legacy.

About Cemetery Atlas

Cemetery Atlas is a Louisiana-based preservation and documentation organization built around a practical problem: important cemetery information is often fragmented among physical markers, old records, maps, spreadsheets, and local knowledge. We help preserve that information by turning physical cemeteries and legacy records into organized, practical, maintainable documentation.

Who We Serve

Municipalities and Parish Governments
Churches and Religious Organizations
Cemetery and Family Cemetery Associations
Historic Preservation and Heritage Organizations

Common Questions

Answers about our methods, project scope, existing records, and getting started.

Start a Project

Every cemetery starts from a different place. Some have paper burial registers. Others have old maps, spreadsheets, incomplete plot records, or very little organized information at all. Tell us what you have and what you need to accomplish. We will review the project and identify a practical next step.