How to Catalog a Burial Site on Your Property
Wisconsin Historical Society staff can list any burial site on your property in the Wisconsin Burial Sites Catalog — an electronic database of known human burials. Cataloging a burial site is easy and it can help lower your taxes, since owners of cataloged burial sites are eligible for property tax exemptions.
Check to See if the Site Is Already Listed in the Society's Records
It's possible that the burial site is already cataloged. To verify this, you will need to contact Amy Rosebrough at the Wisconsin Historical Society at 608-264-6494. Due to confidentially and privacy concerns, Society staff can't answer some questions over the phone or through e-mail. If there is a record of your burial site, the Society will mail you copies.
If the Burial Site is Already Cataloged
If your burial site is already cataloged and you would like a property tax exemption, we will provide you the paperwork you need with an explanation of how to apply for the exemption.
If the Burial Site is Not Cataloged
If the Society doesn't have a record of a burial site on your property, you will be asked to fill out a Report a Burial or Archaeological Site (PDF, 64 KB) form. This form is used to provide a permanent and confidential record of the burial site. The information you provide will help the Society determine if a visit to the site is necessary to document important details such as the condition of the site, the number and type of burial markers, and the how big the burial site is.
If the Society does have a record of your site in WHPD database, it's still possible that it is not yet cataloged in the Wisconsin Burial Sites Catalog. The WHPD record will note if it is cataloged.
If a visit is necessary, the Society will work with you to schedule a visit to your property. During the visit, Society staff will map and photograph the burial site. You will be provided with copies of all maps and records created as a result of any staff visit.
After the burial site on your property is cataloged you will receive a notification and certificate of cataloging in the mail. If you would like a property tax exemption, Society staff will provide you the paperwork with an explanation of how to apply for the exemption.
Learn More
See more articles about Human Burials, Mounds and Cemeteries
Have Questions?
Call Amy Rosebrough at 608-264-6494 or email her below.