San Francisco National Cemetery. Photo by Loren Rhoads.
Cemetery Explorers
Administrator: Matthew Maguire
https://www.facebook.com/groups/11462664391/
5839 members
Mission Statement: This group is for anyone who enjoys exploring cemeteries. Your interest could be history, photography, art and sculpture, nature and landscaping, contemplation, or just the sense of peace and tranquility found in these final resting places.
Q: There are a lot of cemetery aficionado groups on Facebook. What sets yours apart?
A: I believe we are the largest cemetery group on Facebook. We attract many fantastic photographers from around the world and also a subset of genealogists. We do our very best to keep the group focused on cemeteries, not on subjects such as the paranormal. There plenty of groups available for that.
Q: Do you have a policy about what is appropriate to post?
A: Yes. Put simply: cemetery photos. One’s own, unless proper permission has been obtained, and attribution given. A cemetery-related question or topic for discussion is also OK. We also ask that in order for everyone’s photos to be seen, you limit your daily posting of not more than 5 photos a day. If you have more you would like to present at once, consider posting a link to a public Facebook Photo Album.
Q: How old is your group?
A: I can’t remember exactly when I started the group: 4 or 5 years ago, I think. I had been very involved in cemetery groups on Flickr, and when I joined Facebook, much to my surprise, I could find none to join so I started one. Now, of course, there are many.
Q: Are there criteria for new members?
A: Our group is open to new members, but they must be approved by an administrator. When a group reaches a certain number of members, it becomes a magnet for spammers and self-promoters of all types. We used to approve everyone, but we started experiencing trouble. So before approving, an admin will generally have a look at what’s visible on the person’s profile to see if there’s anything indicating a genuine interest in cemeteries or perhaps genealogy. We’ve also learned to recognize some warning signs.
Q: Are you a member of any other cemetery groups?
A: I am a member of a few other cemetery groups, but administering a group the size of “Cemetery Explorers” eats up most of the time I have available.