Abandoned graveyard

An abandoned graveyard, also known as an abandoned cemetery, is a graveyard that is no longer being used or maintained, and has fallen into a state of disrepair.^[1][2][3] Graveyards may be abandoned for various reasons.^[4] Some reasons for abandonment of cemeteries include such phenomena as financial difficulty, natural disaster, unpleasant reputation and/or accessibility.^[5] Abandoned cemeteries ordinarily fade away in gradual manner.^[6] Abandoned cemeteries are of particular interest to urban explorers.^[7]

An abandoned Jewish graveyard

An abandoned church and cemetery

Quantity

According to one source, it is claimed that there are thousands of abandoned graveyards in the United States.^[4]

Identification

Locating and identifying individual graves in an abandoned cemetery may be hard due to lithophytes^[a] overgrowing on the tombstone markings. In some cases, it may be difficult because the tombstones have been vandalized.^[5]

Relocation

One way of restoring abandoned graveyards is to completely relocate them to such places as wildlife refuges, public parks or historic sites.^[5] That means relocating both the tombstone and the coffin.^{[clarification needed]} However, relocating graves is rather expensive; it can cost anywhere between $8,000 to $20,000, or in some cases even more.^[8]

See also

• Abandoned mine
• Abandoned railway
• Abandoned amusement park

Notes

1. Or in some cases lichens.