Although they’re often used as synonyms, cemeteries and graveyards  have some distinctions. When making end-of-life decisions, it’s useful to know the differences between these two sites for burials. Here’s a closer look at three key dimensions that distinguish one from the other.

Cemeteries vs. Graveyards

Affiliation

Perhaps the most significant difference between cemeteries and graveyards is that graveyards are, by tradition, part of a church property. They have a direct link to an associated church that give them a religious cast that some cemeteries lack. Typically, cemeteries are not affiliated with any particular religion. Instead, they may serve as final resting place for all, regardless of belief.

Space

Since graveyards are located on church grounds, they tend to occupy much less space than cemeteries. A graveyard often takes up quite a small plot of land. Cemeteries, on the other hand, may extend across a vast landscape. For reasons of space, it can be more difficult to secure burial rights in a graveyard than at other burial sites.

Requirements 

Graveyards tend to have stricter rules about who can be buried within their confines and how burials on its premises are conducted. For instance, you may need to share the religious affiliation of a church to be eligible for burial in its graveyard. In addition, many graveyards have regulations that prohibit interring cremated remains. Cemeteries are usually much less restrictive and may be open to anyone regardless of religious belief or if the deceased’s remains were cremated.

The rolling landscape of Oak Grove Cemetery—a community pillar of the La Crosse, WI, community since 1852—is beautiful and serene. To find out more about their burial services, grave sites, monuments, markers, urns, and their Veteran’s Wall of Honor, call (608) 782-6956. To learn more about the history of this beloved burial ground, visit their website.