Historic Cemeteries of Frederick County, Maryland

Overview This feature service provides spatial locations and relevant attribute information for historic cemeteries and burial sites within Frederick County, Maryland. The dataset serves historic preservation, planning, and cultural resource management purposes by documenting cemeteries referenced in historical records. Feature Layer Historic Cemeteries: This layer includes mapped locations of historic cemeteries identified from the indices and location maps of the books "Names In Stone" and "More Names In Stone" by Jacob M. Holdcraft. Locations were refined using georeferenced maps, aerial imagery, USGS topographic maps, Maryland SDAT records, plat records, and Pictometry imagery. The layer categorizes the cemetery locations based on location certainty: Located - cemeteries platted or clearly visible in aerial imagery. Approximately Located - cemeteries with spatial positions derived from georeferenced maps without precise imagery confirmation, mainly family cemeteries. Location Unknown - cemeteries referenced but spatially undetermined, including a few outside Frederick County. Attribute data such as cemetery name, place name, reference number, and field verification status support contextual understanding and future dataset enhancement. Geographic Coverage The dataset focuses exclusively on Frederick County, Maryland, documenting burial sites important to the county’s historical and cultural heritage. Source and Citation Information originates from the published works of Jacob M. Holdcraft (1966, 1972), which compiled over 75,000 cemetery inscriptions and location data for the region. These authoritative sources underpin the quality and historic significance of this dataset. Use Cases Supporting historic preservation and cultural resource planning initiatives. Facilitating research into genealogical and local history related to burial customs and cemetery locations. Assisting land use planning and legal considerations involving historic cemeteries.