Geocache Description:
Welcome to the Maple Grove Cemetery also known as New Maple Grove Cemetery, or Port William Cemetery . This Earthcache will bring you to a rare type of cemetery monument and compare it to other nearby ones. Please note that this Earthcache is only available during daylight hours. Most tombstone markers are made of stone, but this one is made of metal.
History of Zinc
A few years ago, I was exploring graveyards on the hunt for the elusive geocache when I noticed such a variety in the tombstones. It didn’t register in my mind until I met a person that was doing some genealogy who drew my attention to the Zinc marker. Traditional stones are made of granite, limestone, or marble. Marble tends to be a very soft stone and weathers quickly. Granite tends to take a while longer, but still fades over time. Limestone is affected by acid rain but will last rather a long time. Weathering is caused by the elements like rain and ice, or even biological means like lichens and ivy.
I find these Zinc gravestones to be quite interesting. They are usually bluish-grey color and in comparison with other gravestones nearby of the same age, very well preserved. I asked my local ‘expert’ and she told me that all zinc gravestones came from a company in Connecticut, USA (Monumental Bronze Company) from approximately 1874 to 1914. Each stone was created individually since it was a mold and easier to personalize. The various symbols of flowers represented links to religion and life. For more meaning behind these icons, I found this information interesting: https://sites.uni.edu/connors/metalmon.htm
One thing that I discovered as I began my search for these gravemarkers is that they are not all in obelisk form. Quite by accident, after finding the typical obelisk marker, I stumbled upon a tombstone shaped one. After doing some research, I found that there are different shapes but the obelisk seems to be the most common.
If you touch the monument, feel the surface. If it is rough, it would have been made probably after 1879. Why? To boost sales, they changed the finish on the metal base to make it look like stone. When the sandblasting took place, it created a rougher surface. Before 1879, many of the monuments are smooth with more a grey colour whereas after the ‘treatment’ they were more bluish-grey.
What is Zinc- a bit of geology
According to http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/30/zinc, Zinc was identified as an element in 1746 and discovered by Andreas Marggraf. I discovered that Zinc is the 24th most common element in the planet's crust and even found in seawater. It is commonly found with other elements like copper. Zinc ore can be mined either from open-pit or underground. Some of the top zinc producers in the world are China, Peru and Australia as well as India, USA and Canada. The periodic table symbol for Zinc is Zn with an atomic number of 30. Interesting enough is that it is chemically similar to Magnesium.
The zinc carbonate that gives the monuments their characteristic bluish-grey colour also creates a hard protective skin so that the castings are still extremely clear to read. However, two unfortunate characteristics of Zinc are that it is quite brittle and may be broken by vandals or even impact from trees. As well, over many years, the weight will cause it to creep and sag, causing some of the larger monuments to bow or crack. Another problem common to all cemetery monuments, is poor foundations causing bases to crumble, many monuments to lean.
Reference:
- http://agraveinterest.blogspot.com/2012/06/white-bronze-monument-of-quality.html
- https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1708622/maple-grove-cemetery
- http://www.softschools.com/facts/periodic_table/zinc_facts/206/
- https://www.gravestonestudies.org/
- https://familytrees.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/tombstone-tuesday-zinc-or-white-bronze/
- http://www.uni.edu/connors/metalmon.htm
- http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/30/zinc
To log this EarthCache:
Rules:
- Parking is available along the road close to the posted coordinates. Please be considerate of other visitors.
- Please do not take a photo of any monument that identifies a family name. You may take pictures of the tombstones provided that the names are obscured. Photos that show a decorative feature are fine. Photos are optional and not a requirement to log this Earthcache. This is out of respect for families that may not want the photos published.
- Please respect the opening and closing times of the cemetery which are from dawn to dusk. Please take care when walking around as the ground is uneven in places.
- Please be discreet as this area is regularly monitored by the Port William police.
Requirements
To successfully accomplish the requirements for this Earthcache, please answer the following questions. If you enjoy this Earthcache, I would appreciate a favourite point. Pictures are always welcome but they are optional. There is no need to contact me for confirmation before logging this cache but the information should be sent in, either via email or the message system on geocaching.com, in a timely manner. Should there be any difficulty, I will contact you.
In this cemetery, there is zinc tombstone for you to find but you also have to compare the monuments and answer the following questions:
1. What is the one very unique feature of all the zinc monuments? (See hint)
2.Are they pre, or post 1879? Besides looking at the date, is there another way to tell?
3.Compare the bottom base of each monument. Is there evidence of creeping or stress on the base or at one of the other horizontal base sections? Describe in your own words how the stress has changed the original shape of the monument along the base. For example is the base bowed out, bowed inwards or is there an undulating/wavy pattern?
4.Are any of the upper sections of the zinc monuments tilting/leaning to one side, and if so are they tilting/leaning in the same direction or different directions? If they are tilting, hypothesize what natural factors might have contributed to this?
5.Compare the weathering of the white bronze monument to those around it. In terms of readability and resistance to lichens and discolorations, which markers are holding up the best?
6.How long do you think that these monuments might last in comparison to other monuments in the area?
7.How high is this monument? Is it higher or shorter than the two others beside it?