MS&T Ground Penetrating Radar

Sunday, Sepember 12th, 2010 Neil Anderson and his team of students performed a Ground Penetrating Radar survey of the Pulaski County Poor Farm.

The purpose of this testing is to allow us to know the exact location of each grave in the cemetery, as well as how many burials were performed here. Local folklore has estimated the number of burials somewhere between 100-150.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses a high frequency radio signal that is transmitted into the ground and reflected signals are returned to the receiver and stored on digital media. The computer measures the time taken for a pulse to travel to and from the target which indicates its depth and location. The reflected signals are interpreted by the system and displayed on the unit’s LCD panel.



In addition to the GPR survey that was done, Mr. Anderson and his team plan to return to perform electrical resistivity tomography testing. This procedure is very time consuming and will only be performed in specific sections of the cemetery.

The team collected extensive data and it will take 2-3 weeks for them analyze their findings.

The video below was created by the Florida Public Archaeology Network and shows examples of GPR technology at work in cemeteries.

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean --- Blind Lemon Jefferson

Well, there's one kind of favor I'll ask of you
Well, there's one kind of favor I'll ask of you
There's just one kind of favor I'll ask of you
...You can see that my grave is kept clean

And there's two white horses following me
And there's two white horses following me
I got two white horses following me
Waiting on my burying ground

Did you ever hear that coffin' sound
Have you ever heard that coffin' sound
Did you ever hear that coffin' sound
Means another poor boy is under ground

Did you ever hear them church bells tone
Have you ever hear'd them church bells tone
Did you ever hear them church bells tone
Means another poor boy is dead and gone

Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold
And, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold
Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold
Now I believe what the bible told

There's just one last favor I'll ask of you
And there's one last favor I'll ask of you
There's just one last favor I'll ask of you
See that my grave is kept clean