# Found a human bone in an old cemetery - what should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811 "2011-07-30T03:46:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/21 "2011-07-31T08:20:09Z")
It would make a pretty cool souvenir. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/22 "2011-07-31T14:00:12Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > It would make a pretty cool souvenir. Unless it was your mother’s ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/23 "2011-07-31T14:15:27Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > The [Bayside-Acacia Cemetery](http://citynoise.org/article/8696) in Queens is a prime example. (Lots of pictures; scroll down for more information). I’ve been there, and while parts are being cleaned up, there are sections where a virtual forest has grown around the graves. The place I went was just about as bad as in the pictures you linked, except my place had a lot more trash. Large areas were practically paved with flattened water bottles. I looked up some more info on Bayside-Acacia and found that a lawsuit was filed, although dismissed on a jurisdictional technicality. Learned a little about the legal status of old cemeteries (at least under NY law) and also read some entertaining posts by a lot of angry NY Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/24 "2011-07-31T14:34:26Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > The place I went was just about as bad as in the pictures you linked, except my place had a lot more trash. Large areas were practically paved with flattened water bottles. > > I looked up some more info on Bayside-Acacia and found that a lawsuit was filed, although dismissed on a jurisdictional technicality. Learned a little about the legal status of old cemeteries (at least under NY law) and also read some entertaining posts by a lot of angry NY Jews. They should have let an [auto plant be built around it](http://www.flickr.com/photos/28537042@N06/4513097372/). ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/25 "2011-07-31T17:13:35Z")
postcards: > [@](#): > > Not too far off topic, but abandoned cemeteries (complete with broken-into crypts…(snip)…final resting place of Harry Houdini. You sure it wasn’t broken OUT OF? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/26 "2011-07-31T17:29:20Z")
Well the first thing you should have done is scream and run away After that, its up to you ---
**Author:** ![activgurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@activgurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/activgurl)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811/27 "2011-08-01T11:21:54Z")
Sorry to hear of your problem with a WV cemetary. The state association is nothing more than volunteers who are trying to revive/repair abandoned cemetaries. There are no “endowments”. Anyone with time/money/energy to devote to a particular burial area is certainly encouraged to respond. My family owns property with two burial areas, and it is entirely up to us to keep them from disappearing. We mow them, we bought new metal markers (not cheap), and there are no decendants who care to be involved. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-a-human-bone-in-an-old-cemetery-what-should-i-do/590811.md?page=1)