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cemeteries

Colonial Park Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup November 30, 2016

At the beginning of this year Jeff got a new full time job which is obviously really good news but we kind of thought it meant we wouldn’t be able to travel as much as we wanted. Since the very beginning of our relationship traveling has been something that we’ve enjoyed together tremendously. I mean, duh, who doesn’t like traveling with their significant other? We took our first big trip together only a few months after meeting, and that was the start of something magical. I live for our vacations. They’re easily some of the best times I’ve ever had so the idea we wouldn’t be able to take our annual trip out west or go anywhere else was a huge bummer. With some careful planning, determination, and a few all night drives, 2016 turned into the year of road trips for us. I’ve played in the ocean, explored new cities, poked around a creepy old cave, and even managed to cross off one of my bucket list destinations – Roswell!

Over the holiday weekend Jeff and I went down to Georgia looking for a soul to steal and spent a few days hanging out in Savannah. I think this trip kind of started off as a joke, or at least it kind of felt like it. “We should go on Thanksgiving, that way we don’t have to decide whose house to go to for dinner!” Then, kind of randomly one day, Jeff sent me a screenshot that he had booked our hotel. We left the Wednesday before Thanksgiving around 8pm and took turns driving through the night. It’s a loooong twelve hour drive but you do what you gotta do!

I had hoped to blog about it how I blog about all the other trips I take, which is in order so it’s kind of like a diary or something for me to look back on but to be honest, the majority of the photos I took were in cemeteries. I had been to Savannah once before a few years ago. It was actually my first big trip with a friend and I had the time of my life. I almost feel like it was an important turning point for me. Anyway, I didn’t take many photos while I was there that time and I’ve been dying to get back to shoot these cemeteries that I have to believe are some of the most beautiful in the United States. So we ate the best chocolate ever*, played some pirate themed mini-golf, ate a pirate themed restaurant, did a whole lot of walking, and of course, spent a ton of time wandering cemeteries. I have so many photos to still work my way through but I’m going to start with my favorites first.

Colonial Park Cemetery is beautiful old cemetery located right in the middle of the city. It was established in 1750, and obviously holds tons of history. 700 victims of the 1820 Yellow Fever epidemic are buried here, along with many victims of Savannah’s dueling era. During the Civil War many of the graves were looted. Rumor has it that Union soldiers even changed the dates on some headstones. Why they’d do that is beyond me, but still, very interesting!

I had actually visited this particular cemetery a few years ago but absolutely, one hundred percent, do not remember it being this beautiful. Jeff and I arrived shortly after sunrise, while the sun was still in a perfect spot in the sky. The lighting was incredible and there morning fog seemed to just be burning off. It was SO beautiful. Lets not forget the Spanish moss. Oh my gosh, is there anything prettier than trees draped in Spanish moss in a cemetery? No, there isn’t! I don’t even know how many times I exclaimed how much I loved it. (Sorry for being annoying, Jeff!) I just can’t get enough!

All the cute shops, beautiful historic buildings, and good eats aside, Savannah is worth visiting just for it’s cemeteries… ya know, if you’re into that kind of thing.
xoxo

*So, I was just going to link to the chocolate place’s website until I realized they also had an etsy shop. You guys HAVE TO try this chocolate. Their Mexican Mayan Truffle is literally the best piece of chocolate I have ever eaten in my life. Also, their retail location is the adorable if you’re in the area!

Hartsgrove Center Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup November 14, 2016

fog, headstones, hartsgrove ohio, cemetery

Over four years ago, on the way to go camping, I stumbled upon a beautiful foggy cemetery. It was one of the first cemeteries I ever blogged about and it was definitely the first foggy cemetery I ever shot photos of. For a looong time those photos, although technically not the best, held the title of my favorites. I mean, what could be more spooky than a foggy cemetery?

It never gets all that foggy here, and when it does it usually never really reaches any of the cemeteries, at least not that I’ve ever been able to witness. It tends to stay a lot closer to the lake. All these years I have been waiting for the opportunity to shoot two of my favorite photo subjects, fog and headstones, together again. Other than an abandoned house, I don’t think there could be anything more perfect to shoot surrounded by fog.

My parents live around an hour away from my house. Half of the drive is highway, and the second half is back roads. I went to visit them the weekend before last and as soon as I got off the highway I hit a wall of fog. Not like “Oh, it’s a little bit foggy. Cool!” but like “HOLY COW, I cannot see the car directly in front me.” It was basically zero visibility. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pull over and shoot but I knew that I had to take the opportunity to get some photos.

When I remembered those photos from a few years ago and that a small cemetery was coming up in a few miles – my mind was made! The fog had cleared a bit before I made it there but it was still an absolutely beautiful sight! It took four years but I fiiiiinally got the photos I wanted. Paired with the gorgeous autumn leaves, I really don’t think these could have come out any prettier. I am so pleased!

falls, leaves, headstone, cemetery, ohio

One of my favorite things about fog is how it highlights all the spiderwebs! Such works of art.

While writing this post and searching back through the blog under the keyword “fog” to find the links to old posts I realized that they almost all start the same – about how we just don’t get much fog here and how excited I am to shoot it. I’m starting to build quite the collection of foggy photos. It’s still not getting old for me though! I am so jealous of you guys who live in foggy areas, although I’d probably miss the chase of rushing to a location before the sun burns the fog off.
xoxo

cemetery explorin’ buddy.

my top ten cemeteries!

by Kaylah Stroup October 31, 2016

best cemeteries, favorite cemeteries, graveyard

In nearly every aspect of my life I think young Kaylah would approve of how adult Kaylah lives her life. I’ve got a handful of critters that I can’t imagine life without. (I used to wish for kittens while I blew on dandelions. Not that we ever had a shortage of pets!) My hair is always dyed a fun color, and my fashion sense is basically the same albeit a little bit cooler. Long live overalls! There is one thing area where I feel I’d be a let down – Halloween. For the last few years I haven’t even considered dressing up for Halloween. I guess I just don’t see the need. Halloween parties aren’t really my jam so spending the time and money to create something unique just isn’t a priority and I actually feel a little sad about it. I was disappointed to see that Halloween fell on a Monday this year and not the weekend… because that meant I’d have to post something on the big day. I’m sorry I don’t have any ~totally cute last minute costume ideas~ for you to add to your Pinterest board but I do have a list of my top ten cemeteries. Lets be real, that’s way cooler anyway, at least in my book!

I’ve visited numerous cemeteries over the years. I don’t think there has ever been one I didn’t like but some definitely stand out above others. These are in no particular order, except my number one which you will find listed last. A portion are located in Ohio, which should be no surprise since I live here, but the others are all across the US. Below each photo is the name of the cemetery which will link you to the original blog post for more photos!

Rehoboth Mission Cemetery
Rehoboth, New Mexico

Choosing a photo of this cemetery to include in this post was hard. Do I share the view that initially attracted me there? Or do I share one of the many unique memorials found inside? Rehoboth is still and will most likely remain for a very long time one of the most unique places I have ever been. I mean, how often do you see a grave surrounded in hot pink bricks?

Freed Cemetery

Big Springs, West Virginia

While not the most grand cemetery, it was easily one of the most interesting to get to. We had to park in a stranger’s driveway, cross a stream on foot, and then hike up a hill where a bunch of cows were grazing. This is my family cemetery, and looking back at the post I wrote on it I’m kicking myself for not taking more photos. Visiting with my mom and grandpa was a super special experience.

Mound View Cemetery

Mt Vernon, Ohio

Old headstones, tons of symbolism, and the grave of two famous sideshow performers – what more could you ask for?

Laurel Hill Cemetery

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I could spend days exploring Laurel Hill Cemetery and still feel like it wasn’t enough. 74 acres means there is lots to see. Unique headstones galore! I visited three years ago around this time and can’t express just how beautiful it was. Well worth the drive!

Old Bennington Cemetery

Bennington, Vermont

Fan of Robert Frost? Well this is where he’s buried! While that might be the selling point for most, I was more intrigued by the old stones with strange carvings. This place is packed with history and even has a beautiful old church on the property. Make sure to check out the Walloomsac Inn across the street if you visit!

Laurel Grove Cemetery

Savannah, Georgia

To be fair, I don’t actually recall whether the photo above is of Laurel Grove or Bonaventure. Anyone know? I visited both while in Savannah a few years ago, and didn’t keep my photos organized very well. There were a few others as well, and I loved all of them but I was a bit more taken by Laurel Grove. Spanish moss and cemeteries are a match made in heaven! I am dying to get back and see more. (Next month! Ah!)

Brown Pet Cemetery

Columbus, Ohio

Brown Pet Cemetery is the only cemetery that has ever made me cry. The relationships between people and their pets always gets me! Pictured above is my favorite headstone there. In a time when photography wasn’t as prevalent as it is now it’s amazing that someone loved their kitty so much they got glamour shots of her taken.

Monroe Street Cemetery

Cleveland, Ohio

Monroe Street Cemetery is my local cemetery. (Technically it’s not the closest one to my house but that one is all fenced off and trespassing seems out of the question since it’s in the middle of a residential area.) I’ve really come to love this place. I’ve spend countless hours wandering around, and taking photos yet I still manage to find something new each time I visit. If you happen to go, make sure to check out the tiny, old hidden headstones along the fence by the scrapyard. Those are some of my favorites. In the summer they’re nearly hidden by vines.

Workman Cemetery

Danville, Ohio

Workman Cemetery was a random find in the middle of nowhere that ended up being one of my absolute favorites. Old headstones, and overgrown patches – a place after my heart! I honestly still love looking through my photos from this location. The colors and depth of field make it seem like something from a dream world.

Mount Moriah Cemetery

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mount Moriah is the cemetery of my dreams. Easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. I can only imagine how awesome it looks this time of the year will fall foliage. I honestly still can’t believe it was real and that within a few days of even knowing it existed that I got explore it. While I certainly hope conditions improve and the volunteers continue to help clean up, I’m super stoked to have been able to see it all overgrown.

So maybe I won’t be dressed up in a fun costume tonight but rest assured I am wearing my skeleton leggings and my dog is in his skeleton costume so maybe young Kaylah would think I was still cool. You know, that and the fact that I have a job where I can make a list of my ten favorite cemeteries!

Do you have a favorite cemetery? Any awesome cemeteries near you I should check out when I eventually make it out your way? I’ve got a running list, always looking to add more!
xoxo

Unity Brick Church Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup October 27, 2016

For the longest time I’ve been saying “someone should make a cemetery finder app!” It sounds like a super niche product but I know I’m not the only person out there whose idea of a good time is wandering around an old cemetery. Google is obviously a great resource but it has its limits, plus it’s not convenient to use when you’re already out and about (…and don’t really even know where you are!) Recently I searched in the app store using the keyword “cemetery”, something I thought I had done before at least a handful of times, but something new popped up! Find A Grave has an app! I genuinely don’t understand how it eluded me for so long, especially since I’m frequently on their website. I’ve been using the app basically every time I leave the house. It’s amazing how many tiny, old cemeteries are around that I never knew about!

After visiting Achor Valley Cemetery I wasn’t ready to head home yet. I wanted to make the most of my day and the nearly two hour drive so I decided to check the app and see what else was around. There were lots of small cemeteries but I wanted something a little more substantial, somewhere worth the drive. I ended up choosing Unity Brick Church Cemetery.

It was a short drive from where I already was but upon pulling into the parking lot I thought maybe it wasn’t the place for me. From my car, to the right of the church, I could only see newer graves, many decorated with flowers. I figured I should hop out and get a better look before giving up. Behind the church I could see some older looking headstones in the distance so I grabbed my camera and started walking.

It wasn’t until I got close enough to read them that I realized just how old. Early 1800s! YES! There was a large chunk of these headstones back there with a few more hiding out in the woods. The cemetery was very well maintained (Aside from random headstones in the woods. Not sure why those weren’t taken care of…?) I definitely wasn’t expecting to find such interesting headstones in this tiny churchyard. I particularly enjoy finding ones in other languages. There really isn’t too much of that in Ohio, so it’s always new and exciting for me. I had never seen the phrase “zum andenken” before, it translates to “in memory”. Such a solid find!

headstone symbolism, cemetery, graveyard

Unity Brick Church cemetery certainly wasn’t the largest cemetery I’ve ever been to but it was definitely a great way to end my trip. This place on top of visiting another beautiful old cemetery with bonus abandoned church made this a pretty darn awesome day. You know, aside from the fact my car pooped out on me on the way home but more on that another day.

I always say I want to make little day drives like this something that happen more often but haven’t really gotten in the habit. I think the Find A Grave app might change that!
xoxo

Achor Valley Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup October 17, 2016

Last Friday I woke up really late. I guess 9am by most people’s standards isn’t too late but that’s a day killer for me. I’m not really an early bird but, without a doubt, I’m most productive first thing in the morning and late at night. I knew if I just tried to start my day as normal I’d end up doing nothing so I figured it was the perfect time to take a day trip. I always try to keep a running list of places I’d like to hit on days like this. Try being the key word there. Frequently when I dedicate any time to researching places for this list I end up feeling defeated and like I’ve seen everything interesting within a days drive – which simply cannot be true.

I searched “haunted cemetery ohio” hoping it’d lead me somewhere new. Most of the results were websites I’ve already pored over time and time again. I did end up finding some ghost hunting blog that I had never seen before. Their “orb” photos were less than convincing but the post I was reading mentioned something about how if you liked old headstones this particular cemetery was a great spot to check out. I knew if I kept searching for other places I’d never leave the house Kind of like when you browse Netflix, you search for the perfect thing, find a few decent looking movies, and then end up watching nothing. Without looking for any more information on the cemetery, I packed my camera bag and hit the road.

It was an easy, breezy two hour drive. After crossing a one way bridge, which somehow seems perfectly appropriate on the way to a creepy old cemetery, I pulled into the driveway to find there was also an abandoned church on the property. SCORE! I was over the moon. From my car I could see that the church looked pretty boarded up. I may crawl through windows on a fairly regular basis but I will never damage property to gain entry to a building. I figured I would walk around the entire cemetery first, getting all my shots, before even checking to see if the church was accessible. I didn’t want any possible disappointment to ruin the high of this find, I was excited just to have it in the background of my shots.

Even if there hadn’t been an abandoned church on the property, the cemetery was worth the drive! There was a mix of old and new headstones, 1800s through 2000s! I’m not crazy about new ones but the old ones were to die for. Hah! Whoops!

After I got all the photos I wanted of headstones I walked around the church to see if I could get a peek inside. I was so pumped to find that all of the pews were still there! I’ve been in a handful of abandoned churches and this is only the second with pews. Without them, and the stained glass windows it doesn’t feel so much like a church. It’s just another empty building, ya know? It was just a single open room with a large mural at the front but an awesome find nonetheless. As much as I’m pro-graffiti it’s always a bit exciting to find something like this that isn’t completely covered in spray paint.

Achor Valley Cemetery, abandoned, church

I couldn’t find much information on this cemetery or why the church was abandoned. The grounds were fairly well maintained, and while I was leaving a car pulled in with a family inside who got out and laid flowers on a grave. I also found a handful of ghost blogs who regularly hunt here so it seems like a rather popular spot. Because of that I assumed it’d have some interesting backstory but I guess not. I did see that one ghost hunter said “the spirits there are gentle and have a great sense of humor” I still don’t believe in ghosts, but I’d love to be proven wrong especially by funny ghosts! *

I still can’t believe what an awesome find this was. Every time I think I’ve seen all the cool cemeteries in Ohio I find something new! Guess this is a sign I need take more spur of the moment trips.
xoxo

*Speaking of ghost stuff! My freshly charged camera battery completely died in this cemetery. Super weird considering the fact my batteries never die. I rarely have to charge them despite how often I use my camera. People always say that ghosts drain batteries… You know, because they’re battery powered or something. 😜

rehoboth mission cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup September 15, 2016

After Roswell, Jeff and I drove up to Tucumcari, New Mexico. The original plan included us dipping in to Texas but we realized it would make for a super long drive to the next night’s hotel so we nixed that and decided just to leisurely cruise parts of Old Rt. 66 on our way to Gallup.

While he drove I browsed Roadside America, Roadtrippers, and good old google for spots to stop along the way. I really wanted to check out a cemetery. Despite three trips to the desert I’ve only managed to make it to one cemetery out there. I ended up stumbling across a photo of one with a bunch of white crosses on a website listing the “most haunted places in New Mexico.” I was intrigued but couldn’t seem to find anything out about the photo so I kept on hunting for other spots. I ended up finding Rehoboth Mission Cemetery and even though it wasn’t the one I saw pictured earlier it did have a whole bunch of white crosses, and even more exciting was that it was right outside of the town our hotel for the night was in.

To get to the cemetery you have to drive through school property, and then up a little hill on a tight, winding dirt road that maybe you shouldn’t be taking a rental car, especially a crappy rental car, on. We came to a sign that said the cemetery closed a few hours earlier but I was determined to get up there. I mean, we already made it most the way up the creepy road. Why not just go all the way?

As soon as I got out of the car I was already in love with Rehoboth Cemetery. I have never in my life seen a cemetery with such character. Flowers litter the graves of recent burials! Most cemeteries in Ohio don’t even allow flowers! There was an article about the cemetery on the school’s website that started with “Most white folks would say the cemetery at Rehoboth is not a well-kept place…” and as much as I hate that generalization, I guess I would agree. It’s interesting how a cemetery can look so overgrown but so clearly be maintained and taken care of. It’s exactly the kind of cemetery I’d like to be buried …if I wanted to be buried.

It was incredibly peaceful there, yet I had a slightly unsettling feeling like I wasn’t alone. It’s hard to describe exactly what it was like but it’s safe to say it was one of my favorite cemetery experiences. Numerous times throughout my short visit I would see something out of the corner of my eye only to realize it was flowers dancing in the breeze. This cemetery felt alive!

If you were to ask me what popped into my head when picturing a cemetery in New Mexico, this is exactly it, even before I ever saw it in person. I’m so glad we pressed on and found this beautiful little spot. Also, sorry for trespassing! 😉
xoxo

I’ve got two recommendations for you! Grab lunch at Kix on 66 if you’re in Tucumcari and if you find yourself looking for a hotel in Gallup – SpringHill Suites by Marriott is AMAZING. Not only is it super new, it even smelled like building materials, but the rooms have such a neat layout. Oh, and the breakfast buffet is tops!

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Granary Burying Ground

by Kaylah Stroup September 5, 2016

After checking out of our hotel in Waterville, Maine Sunday morning we started the drive to New York City. We weaved our way through precious little ocean towns, and stopped at a handful of geocaches along the way. Throughout the trip I had been checking Roadside America because that’s what I do when I’m anywhere I’m unfamiliar with. Coming up, in Boston, was Mother Goose’s Gravesite*. Jeff desperately wanted to visit Boston since he’d never been there but I was insisting we waited until we actually had time to explore the city. I wasn’t interested in spending a small amount of time, I wanted to wait until we had enough time to see everything Boston had to offer. Well, that was until I clicked on the photo of Mother Goose’s headstone. IT HAD A SKULL!

Okay, so if you’ve been keeping up to date with my cemetery posts you might recall me mentioning that I love headstone symbolism. There is tons of it here but Ohio just isn’t old enough to have the kind of stuff I really want to find. Number one on my wishlist of things to find was a skull. The fact that I was guaranteed to find one, and on Mother Goose’s headstone of all places, meant I was all of a sudden SUPER interested in Boston.

In no time at all, I mean other than that 25 minute detour because of ONE single wrong turn, we were in Granary Buying Ground. I have never in my life seen a cemetery so full of people. I guess it’s not too surprising though considering the amount of history packed into this small space. John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams are just a few of the big names buried here. Not even going to lie though, despite being surprised at the amount of historical figures here, the highlight for me continued to be the fact that nearly every single headstone was decorated with a skull. I was in heaven!

Granary Burying Ground is the third oldest cemetery in Boston, founded in 1660, which makes Cleveland’s oldest cemetery (1826!) sound like it was started just yesterday. It also means this is easily the oldest cemetery I have ever been in. It is safe to say they just don’t make ’em like they used to.

mary goose, headstone, skull, Granary Burying Ground

Mary Goose’s grave.

The only thing that would have made this cemetery more enjoyable for me is if it wasn’t packed full of living people (and if it hadn’t been one thousand degrees!) I imagine on a cool weekday this place is an absolute dream. I’m still looking forward to seeing more of Boston some day, even more than I was being this very brief visit. Granary Burying Ground was an excellent first impression of the city.
xoxo

*Apparently she is not THE Mother Goose. Some sources say the myth was started to encourage tourism to the cemetery. If you’d like to do more reading on the subject you can do so here. Regardless, it got me to this cemetery and it was an incredibly headstone so it’s all good by me.

Maple Grove Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup August 29, 2016

If you thought I was going to go to New England and not come home with a thousand cemetery photos, you clearly don’t know me very well. These aren’t quite as interesting as the ones with the creepy faces from Old Bennington Cemetery and not even a quarter as awesome as some I found at another cemetery I visited the next day but this was still an excellent stop.

I had passed this cemetery on my way to Pemaquid Point but was driving too fast to stop since there were cars behind me. I chalked it up as a loss, and had completely forgotten about it until on my way back to the hotel I ended up at the red light across the street and figured I haaad to stop! Right after pulling in the sky opened up and it started to pour. My plans for the evening included swimming in the hotel pool anyway, so why not get wet a little bit early?

Back in March I visited and blogged about Mound View Cemetery in Mount Vernon, Ohio. One of my favorite headstones there was one that just said “Carrie”. Since that one finding headstones that only have the first name on them has become one of my favorite things. It’s so mysterious. Of course, one could presume it’s because family is nearby but some of them are so far from other headstones it’s hard to tell if they’re related to anyone else there. In this cemetery I actually found a few of them. My favorite of which is “Annie”, seen below.

xoxo

Old Bennington Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup August 18, 2016

Old First Church Cemetery , Old First Congregational Church Cemetery, Vermont

Jeff and I just got back from a “mini” road trip. I’m putting mini in quotes there because since I found out we’d be doing this trip I always just kind of thought it would be a quick get away buuut I think it’s safe to say we killed this trip! Nine states, and just over two thousand miles. For now I think the easiest way to blog about it will be to go in chronological order…

Thursday night after Jeff got off work, we loaded up the car and headed toward my parents house. I thought the plan was to spend the night there and leave early in the morning but Jeff had misunderstood and thought I wanted to leave right after dropping Klaus off. Aaaand that was totally cool by me (because that is exactly what I actually wanted! I just thought a little bit of sleep before a twelve hour drive would be the responsible thing to do.) So we drove through the night, took turns sleeping, and made pretty great time.

Although it was slightly out of the way, Jeff really wanted to take a detour into Vermont. No real destination in mind, just wanted to cross it off his list as it was one of the only states on the east side of the US he hadn’t been to yet. We choose a town at random, Bennington.

I was rambling about how cute Vermont was when to my left I spotted one of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. Seeee?! It was massive, decrepit, and honestly just looked like the perfect haunted house. We HAD to stop and get photos. While I was busy taking shots with each of my three cameras (one digital, two instant film. I’m a v. serious tourist, okay?) Jeff thought it would be a good idea to check and see if there were any geocaches nearby. Perfectly enough, there was! “Say Hi to Robert Frost” is the name of the cache and it was located in the cemetery right down the street. That’s how we randomly ended up in the cemetery Robert Frost was buried in!

Old Bennington Cemetery, Vermont, Bennington

Honestly, Robert Frost isn’t very exciting to me. I’ve just never been interested in poetry, it’s nothing against him. I’m always happy to check out the grave of someone famous though, no matter who they are. Also, any excuse to stop into a cemetery is fine by me. …Well, it turns out that Old Bennington Cemetery is packed full of history and the most beautiful headstones. I was only inside the gates for a matter of minutes before declaring it a favorite!

Do you remember last month when I blogged about Workman Cemetery and was all excited about that one headstone with a creepy face on it? Yeah, this cemetery was literally packed full of them! I have SO many photos of them. It’s just crazy how much detail and work was put into these. They put modern headstones to shame.

Pretty awesome first official stop of the trip, right!? Old Bennington Cemetery is absolutely gorgeous, and totally worth a detour. I have never seen old headstones in such amazing shape. This place is an absolute treasure!
xoxo

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