Hi,
Locations of historic cemeteries can be culturally or historically based, rather than strictly environmental. There are differences between community cemeteries, and family cemeteries, but some community cemeteries started as family cemeteries (thus historically based locations). There are regional differences in cemeteries (and there is a lot of literature on this). I did a study of family cemeteries in Knox County, TN (for a class in grad school). I thought the cemetery locations would effect placement of outbuildings on farms, since I assumed that the cemeteries would be in the back yards of the houses, like they are along the east coast (and in southern cities like Nashville). I found that the rural family cemeteries are located about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the farmhouse, located on a hill or hillside. I thought of this as being like a shelf on a closet. The burials were put away from the working area of the farmhouse/barn etc., usually in an ag.
field or pasture (yeah, there was a young bull in one of the fields!). The farmhouse was usually visible from the cemetery, but not the other way around.
I also found a number of the family cemeteries had been expanded into community cemeteries. I interviewed some cemetery owners (family members) who said that they would make their family cemetery available for some of their neighbors. Apparently they were then expanded further, perhaps purchased by the village or town, or maybe a cemetery society would be formed, and the land donated to it.
I'm not sure what region you are talking about. For the south, see the following classic citations:
Jeane, Donald Gregory
1969. “The Traditional Upland South Cemetery.” Landscape 18: 39-41.
1978. “The Upland South Folk Cemetery: An American Type.” Journal of Popular Culture 6: 895-903.
1989. “The Upland South Folk Cemetery Complex: Some Suggestions of Origin.” In Richard E. Meyer, ed., Cemeteries & Gravemarkers: Voices of American Culture. Ann Arbor: UMI Research Press. Pages 107-136.
Best Wishes,
Rebecca
Rebecca J. Emans, PhD, RPA
PhD, Archaeology, SUNY-Buffalo
MA, Archaeology, UTennessee-Knoxville
Lab Manager and Staff Archaeologist
Panamerican Consultants, Inc., New York Office
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