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Family History for Kids

Part of local history, you can visit cemeteries whenever you like.

Cemeteries

Carol Highsmith, photographer. Headstones amid a field of bluebonnets in the Old Livingston Cemetery in Livingston in East Texas. 2014. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

For a pleasant outing in the fresh air, an individual or a group can visit a cemetery to record the headstones and locations of graves with a cell phone. This is one way to give back to the community, foster a sense of belonging, and help preserve the past.  Be sure to check with the sexton, if there is one, about visiting and rules.

Learn about the art and symbolism on headstones, and maybe learn to create art by making rubbings of the stones.

Books

If you are planning an outing to the cemetery, you may want to use one of these books to find out how to prepare, and what kinds of things you might find.

The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.