APALACHICOLA. FL (WTXL) -- Officials in Apalachicola are giving the Chestnut Cemetery a facelift.
Thanks to some brand new technology, county planners are able to see exactly what they're working with.
The Chestnut Cemetery in Franklin County is home to a lot of history. The site dates back to the 1830s, and is the final resting place for many Confederate and Union Civil War soldiers.
"It is just a vital part of the history of the town and the area," said Franklin County Planner Mark Curenton.
Now, local leaders are turning to some 21st century technology to help bring back the past.
Archaeology consultant Jim Miller is part of the team using 3D mapping to create a more accurate picture of how the cemetery is laid out.
"What the plan does really is take the cemetery apart into it elements and look at them closely and then kind of put it back together," said Miller.
Traditional 2D maps show historians where the plots are, but not what the headstones actually look like. Now with this new 3D technology, they can literally sit at their computer and walk among the graves.
"You can fly through it. You can make measurements on it, you can see the relationship between elements," said Miller.
The Chestnut Cemetery is one of the first in the state to use this 3D mapping, and it could pave the way for use all across the globe.
"It's sort of an experiment to see how well it works and what good is it," said Curenton.
Miller added: "It's a powerful tool. It has a lot of potential uses, and we're just beginning to explore the possibilities."
Officials will now use the images from this 3D map to create a master plan that will outline what renovations need to take place and how areas can be restored.
There's a ghost walk Saturday night at the Chestnut Cemetery
Tickets are $10, and all the proceeds will go toward helping to pay for the restoration of the site.
