Greatest Graveyards for Halloween

Appealing to my darker side, whenever I go to a new city, I typically seek out an old cemetery or two. I love the artistry of the historic headstones; mixed with the ravages of time, they provide a means of storytelling for the ages. The first two shots here are from the Granary Burying Ground in Boston. Skulls were a typical design element for tombstones.



From Kings Chapel Burying Ground, also in Boston:



Hollywood Forever may not compare in age to Boston, but it definitely controls the market on kitsch. Where else could you have a Lady in Black who delivers roses to an idol she has never met? Such is the power of silent screen star Rudolph Valentino who died all too young in 1926.



Once known as Calvary Cemetery, Pioneer Park in San Diego still has all the dead bodies buried below the ground...but all the headstones removed and dumped in a ravine, save for a handful that were deemed important by the City back in the 1970s. The select few were moved to the back of the park and re-installed so as to have more space for the park itself. Can you say Poltergeist?



Springwood Cemetery in Greenville was a cool discovery for me; you just never know what creepy or sad little figures you’ll see on a headstone.



Old Santa Rosa Chapel is another favorite; small, quaint, peaceful, and rich with history.



St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans has the future resting place of Nicolas Cage:



Most know about Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah; Laurel Grove is its lesser known counterpart:





I hope you all have a fun (yet safe!) Halloween!

See more Graveyard photos at my main website.

Springwood Cemetery

It's probably a bit creepy, but I love visiting the older cemeteries. Stepping through their gates is like entering a portal into the past. The craftsmanship of the headstones...the inferred stories from looking at the dates and inscriptions...the decay of the stones as nature takes over...to me, it is an exquisite experience of storytelling at its best. Springwood Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina did not disappoint.

Throughout the cemetery there are tributes to the men who lost their lives during the bloody battles of the Civil War. Regardless of what the fight was over, the huge loss of life is quite sad and still palpable.



It is difficult to understand that it takes violence to resolve an issue; all these years later, the source of the conflict still exists. My hope is that one day we all learn to communicate in a way that is respectful so that we can listen and learn from the different perspectives that abound.



The graves of children also bring much sadness, and can be recognized through symbols of innocence, such as this lamb carved atop the headstone.



The grief of a parent who suffers this loss can be felt throughout.



Mixed with the loss is the promise of Spring and renewal, as witnessed through the blossoms of the Dogwood.





Despite the seeming durability of stone, nothing lasts forever though, and nature eventually takes over.



More Cemetery shots at my main website.