The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.Perhaps you found a reference that says your ancestor lived in Holladay, Tennessee. Now you ask, "Where the heck is that?" Even more interesting, the record might say that the ancestor was buried there in the Brinkley Cemetery. Now you really want to know where that cemetery is located! Luckily, in this modern age, this is easy to do, using your home computer and an Internet connection.
Back in the B.I. age (Before Internet), you would purchase a map of Tennessee and then look for the town. However, many small locations are not shown on modern maps. It is also possible that the place may have existed only in past years and has since disappeared. A current map may not show the place you are interested in. Most importantly, finding a small cemetery on a modern map is often impossible.
Today you can sit at home, type on the keyboard, and in a few minutes find that Brinkley Cemetery is located at latitude 35 degrees, 49 minutes, 17 seconds North and 88 degrees, 12 minutes, 2 seconds West (plus or minus 30 feet or so). You can also look at a map of the area, displayed on your computer screen or printed on your own printer. The map shows that the cemetery in question is located on a small road, not far from U.S. Highway 40, about four miles south of Holladay, Tennessee. If that isn't enough, you can even view a satellite view of the area. Your computer screen can display a satellite photo that even shows individual houses and other small buildings, although you probably will not be able to see individual tombstones.
Complicated? Not really. It took me about two or three minutes to find that information online. Best of all, I can plug those geographic coordinates (the latitude and longitude numbers) into an inexpensive GPS receiver and then drive directly to the cemetery. I can even keep my male pride by never stopping to ask directions! Does that sound too good to be true? Read on.
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