The city said the map gives visitors a modern and user-friendly way to locate gravesites and access burial information.
The public viewer allows users to search for loved ones by name or gravesite ID and view burial details, including gravesite location, burial date, age and date of death. The tool is accessible on both desktop and mobile devices through the city’s cemetery webpage and GIS Hub.
According to the city, the project began as an effort to replace an outdated records system that lacked reliable mapping capabilities and created ongoing challenges for staff.
In late 2024, the city’s Management Information Systems Department implemented ESRI’s Cemetery Management Solution, which includes both internal cemetery management software and a public-facing viewer application. This platform also allowed the city to integrate digital mapping into cemetery records, some of which date back to the 1800s.
Before launching the system, the city’s GIS team spent more than a year creating more than 77,000 gravesites in GIS using cemetery Computer-Aided Design drawings and GIS tools while transferring burial and ownership records from the previous system, according to the city.
Throughout the process, the GIS team worked closely with cemetery staff, referencing historical paper records and hand-drawn maps to help verify and improve data accuracy.
The city said the new platform significantly improves access for residents and visitors navigating the large and uniquely designed cemeteries. Visitors can use their phones to find gravesites while on-site.
For staff, the update system improves efficiency, enhances record accuracy and supports faster customer service while helping ensure cemetery records are properly maintained for future generations, according to the city.
The cemetery viewer is available at https://cityofracinewi.gov/parksrec/cemetery/.
Gravesite locations are approximate and may not reflect exact burial positions.
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