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Welcome!
Cemeteries reflect many aspects of American life. Demographics,
cultural norms, social relationships and family histories are just a sampling
of the wealth of information found in cemeteries. Cemeteries have a discernible
spatial and temporal pattern which provide an interesting and non traditional
foundation for geographical study.
This course will use the cemetery as a tool for investigating the history
and culture of Mid-Missouri. Through intensive reading, writing and fieldwork,
the course will build a deeper appreciation and understanding of the people
who settled in this geographic region, the customs and culture they created,
and the patterns they left on the landscape.
Course Components:
Fieldwork- A major component of this course will
be fieldwork. The class will work with the Mid-Missouri Genealogical Society
to locate and map many of the “unknown” cemeteries of this region.
Students will work in teams assigned to specific geographic areas and
will do a detailed analysis of all known and unknown cemeteries.
Database Development - Students will collect tombstone data and
create a spatial database for each cemetery studied. A detailed analysis
and graphic summary of each cemetery will be housed on the course homepage.
Mapping - Students will create accurate maps of a number of cemeteries
within Boone County. Each map will provide an in-depth "view"
of the cemetery via detailed field maps, pictures and historical information.
Research - Students will
select a research topic of their interest and complete a study for this
class. Past examples of studies done by students have included papers
on the following:
- Cemeteries in American Poetry
- Symbolism in Bellefontaine Cemetery
- The Mystery of Margaret Harris: "Black Mammy"
of Columbia Cemetery
- The Living Among the Dead: An Account of Tree Population
and Diversity in Four Cemeteries in Jefferson County, Missouri
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