One of the most interesting things about where we live is the Graveyard that is right in the middle of our subdivision. It's only about the size of one of the lots all the homes around it are built on. Although there is a fence around it, there is no lock on the gate and I often think of going in and reading the inscriptions on the graves...but I haven't done it because it is private property. There are no signs saying this or to keep out either and I'm really curious about whose family is buried there and how old some of the graves are. But I never see anyone out there so I could ask permission to enter in. It's really strange though to have a small graveyard in the middle of our subdivision though and one day I hope I will be able to satisfy my curiosity about it.
It is probably an old family graveyard. We have several here in Maine and, when the property sells, there is sometimes a stipulation that the graveyard be maintained. In other cases, people just do it out of decency, I think. I know people who have bought farms with small family graveyards behind the house. Some people maintain them as they would the rest of their property, while others are maintained by family members who might still be in the area, but I don't think anyone removes the markers and builds a house on top of them, although I have heard enough ghost stories to know that this does happen.
I think you are probably right @Ken Anderson. We are considered part of Lafayette but on the outer limits and of course lots of the property out here was and is still in some cases family acreage. So I'm sure you are right about that graveyard having to be maintained as is. The first time I walked by it when we moved out here a grave Cross was growing into one of the Oak trees but I could not see this when I took the pictures the other day that I shared in my first post. This is one of the things I want to check on too. I also wonder if people can still be buried there?