Welcome to my Earthcache! An Earthcache is a special type of geocache where there is no container to find - instead you are looking for a unique geological feature of the area and need to answer questions, as well as posting a picture, in order to claim the find.
This earthcache takes you to the Cheapside United Cemetery, with 508 marked graves in the town of Cheapside Ontario. Here, you will find graves dating back to 1856, with more than 75 graves from prior to 1900. While the terrain is flat, there are no roads, sidewalks or other features in this cemetery, therefore I have marked it as not wheelchair accessible. You will need to visit 5 different graves within the cemetery, and answer questions about your observations, as well as posting a photo of your visit.
EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
As with all of my ECs, I am not looking for PhD thesis level responses, but I am hoping that you take some time to enjoy the area and learn something new. Please include a list of all cachers with your answer, if answering for more than one caching name. There is no need to send individual answers.
To claim a 'find' for this Earthcache you must answer the following questions and send your answers in a message or email to the owner using the link at the top of the page. You can log your find with a photo at GZ. Send your answers to the tasks. I will be in contact if there is a problem, no need to wait for a response as long as the required photo is included in your log. Answers not sent within 4 days may be deleted.
Logging Tasks
- Visit each of the seven gravestone markers listed in the additional waypoints. Fill in the chart with your observations:
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Name on Stone
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Type of Stone
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Date of Death
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Carved Lettering Classification
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J Wesley Silverthorn
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Rebecca (wife of Joseph)
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Ann (wife of Isaac)
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Catharine MacFarlane
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Mary Booth
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- Based on your observations, is there a correlation between the date of passing and the degree of weathering?
- Based on your observations, is there a correlation between the type of stone and the degree of weathering? Based on this answer, what type of stone do you think is the most resistent to letter weathering?
- Mandatory – post a photo of yourself with the Cheapside United Cemetery sign, or the church. You do not need to show your face—your GPS, a signature item, or thumbs up is acceptable—but the photo must be unique to you. Each log should contain a photo at the time of logging.
Gravestone Materials and Geology
Gravestones are made from a variety of rocks and metals, each with different properties and susceptibility to weathering. Understanding these materials allows geologists and historians to study environmental changes over time, including rainfall, pollution, and climate effects.
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), typically formed in shallow, warm marine environments from shells, coral, and algal debris. It is relatively soft and reacts chemically with acidic rainwater, making it more susceptible to granular disintegration and lettering erosion. Signs of weathering include rounded edges on carved letters, pitting, and surface roughness.
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock formed when limestone is exposed to heat and pressure. Recrystallization produces a dense rock of roughly equigranular calcite crystals. While slightly more resistant than limestone due to its interlocking crystal structure, marble still reacts to acid and pollution. Weathering signs are similar to limestone but typically progress more slowly, and edges of inscriptions often become rounded or blurred before the lettering disappears.
Sandstone
Sandstone is composed of cemented sand grains, usually quartz, with occasional feldspar, mica, or other minerals. Its resistance to weathering varies depending on cement type and grain composition. Quartz-rich sandstones are durable, while sandstones with weak cementing materials are more prone to granular flaking or surface roughening. Indicators of weathering include loss of fine detail in carved lettering, roughened surfaces, or minor flaking of grains.
Granite
Granite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock made of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Its interlocking crystals make it extremely durable, resisting most chemical and physical weathering. Weathering typically occurs along mineral boundaries or in fractures, where softer minerals like feldspar may break down first. On gravestones, look for slight rounding of inscriptions or subtle pitting along cracks, usually over centuries.
Gabbro
Gabbro is a mafic intrusive igneous rock rich in iron and magnesium, typically darker in color. Like granite, it is very durable, but its mafic minerals are more prone to oxidation. Look for rust-colored staining, minor surface scaling, or granular loosening along mineral boundaries. Carved lettering tends to last well unless the stone is exposed to heavy pollution or acid rain.
Gneiss
Gneiss is a metamorphic rock with a banded texture caused by high-temperature recrystallization. Its alternating layers of light and dark minerals can weather at different rates; for example, mica-rich bands may flake faster than quartz-rich bands. Signs of weathering include uneven erosion across bands, pitting, and rounding of edges on carved letters.
Zinc
Some gravestones incorporate zinc elements such as tablet plaques or embellishments. Zinc is relatively resistant to corrosion but may develop a greenish patina over time due to oxidation. Lettering and detail usually remain legible for centuries, but look for surface discoloration or mild pitting as a sign of long-term exposure.
Weathering and Lettering
The condition of carved lettering provides a visual record of stone weathering. Researchers like Rahn (1971) and Meierding (1993) developed classification systems to assess the progressive deterioration of inscriptions.
Weathering rates are influenced by stone type, rainfall, pollution, and exposure. Carbonate rocks like limestone and marble deteriorate faster than silicate-rich stones like granite, gabbro, and quartz-rich sandstone. Gneiss may show uneven weathering due to its banded structure, and metals like zinc may develop patina but preserve detail for centuries.
By observing gravestones, you can see the effects of time, climate, and environmental conditions on different stone types and learn how stone selection impacted the longevity of inscriptions.
The deterioration of carved lettering gives a qualitative measure of gravestone weathering. The lettering becomes progressively roughened and difficult to read. The edges of the carved surface at first become less distinct as granular disintegration occurs. The whole letter begins to merge into the surface of the headstone as the agents of erosion remove the surface. Eventually the lettering becomes almost indistinguishable from the surface of the headstone itself. Once the lettering is indistinguishable the method becomes inappropriate to use. Although this method can not provide any absolute measurements of the amount of material lost, it can provide a relative measure of deterioration.
VISUAL CLASSIFICATION ... Meierding 1993
- Lettering is sharp and distinct
- Lettering is slightly rounded but still legible and clear
- Lettering is legible but rounded with some edges clearly removed
- Lettering is rounded with all or most original edges removed. It is still legible, but becoming more indistinct from the surface of the grave
- Lettering is still just about legible, but now almost indistinguishable from the surface of the gravestone
- Lettering has virtually disappeared
Visitation Notes
The cemetery is open from 8:00 a.m. until dusk daily. Parking is available in the church parking lot nearby. Please respect all signage, do not bring dogs, ATVs, or off-road vehicles, and stay on the marked paths.
Sources
- Rahn, R.O. (1971). Weathering Rates of Tombstones.
- Meierding, T.C. (1993). Gravestone Weathering: A Visual Classification System.
- Blatt, H., Tracy, R.J., & Owens, B. (2006). Petrology: Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks.
- Ontario Geological Survey. Stone Weathering in Cemeteries.
AI Content Disclosure
Some of the descriptive text and/or images on this page were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools. All information has been reviewed, verified, and edited by the cache owner for accuracy and clarity.
This cache was placed by a PROUD Platinum Earthcache Master.
