Saint Paul's Church Graveyard - Norfolk, Virginia

The final resting place for 24 Revolutionary War, and 22 War of 1812, veterans, the graveyard that surrounds St Paul's Episcopal Church may contain graves dating back to before the current church building was erected in 1739. It is a beautiful and historic church and the graves of many of Norfolks founders can be found under in the dark tree canopy and along the brick wall that surrounds the property.

 

John Andrew Gravesite - Bishop, Georgia

The gravesite of John Andrew; Revolutionary War Veteran, Methodist Minister and member of the Georgia Assembly; is identified with a Georgia Historical Marker on the Macon Highway south of Bishop. In the early 1800's the Mt Zion Methodist church and community occupied this site, but now it sits on private property.

John Andrew gravesite, Oconee County

Toronto Necropolis - Toronto, Ontario

The Toronto Necropolis dates back to 1850 when it opened to replace the Strangers' Burying Ground, and early Potter's Field. Located near the east end of the Cabbagetown neighborhood in Toronto it sits on a bluff above the Don River Valley.

Family Cemetery, Currituck County, NC

Family cemetery on Caratoke Highway, NC

I came across this family plot while driving down US 158 on the way to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It's neatly and lovingly maintained, and sits right in the middle of a large soybean field.

Brooklyn and Queens from the Air

Flying into LaGuardia Airport from the southwest takes you over a dozen cemeteries, providing an entirely different perspective on these green spaces. Here are four I saw from the right side of the plane. I discovered afterwards that I probably would have had a great view of Green-Wood off the left side of the plane.

Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn

Cemetery of the Holy Cross, Brooklyn

Linden Hill Cemetery, Queens

Mt. Zion Cemetery, Queens

You can see how full these cemeteries are. This article from the NY Times in 2010 discusses how all the major cemeteries in New York City are either completely full or rapidly approaching their capacity:  City Cemeteries Face Gridlock.

Memorial Day 2012

No better place to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice than Arlington National Cemetery.

Cross Roads Cemetery, Sandy Springs, Georgia

Joseph Pittman, 1848-1946, Cross Roads Primitive Baptist Chuch Cemetery

Joseph Pittman fought in the Civil War and lived to see the end of the Second World War and the dropping of the atomic bomb.

Cross Roads Cemetery is located next to the Crossroads Atlanta Primitive Baptist Church, but is not officially associated with the chuch. They both sit on a corner of the intersection of Mount Vernon Highway, Powers  Ferry Road and Dupree Drive. You can locate on Bing Maps and Google Maps.

Learn more about Historic Cross Roads Cemetery here.

Oak Dale Baptist Churchyard, Nokesville, Virginia

Churchyard at Oak Dale Baptist Church, Nokesville, Virginia

While most of the photographs in this blog were taken at larger urban cemeteries, I often run across rural cemeteries like this one that have their own simple beauty. Most of these cemeteries are either family plots - sometimes abandoned, but usually carefully cared for by the family, or churchyards like this one. As is often the case in the south there are a few Confederate soldiers' graves in even the smallest yards.

Maxwell Cemetery, Alpharetta, GA

Maxwell Cemetery

While Civil War Veterans' graves are common in cemeteries throughout Georgia, the graves of Revolutionary War Veterans are not common at all. It is always interesting to run across one. Maxwell is a small private cemetery hidden in plan view between office parks and apartments in Alpharetta. These two massive oaks could easily be as old as the cemetery - over 150 years.

John Maxwell, Georgia Volunteer, Soldier of the American Revolution

This is the grave of John Maxwell, 1763-1840, a volunteer at the age of 14. After the War John married a sister of Patrick Henry and settled in this area, where he and his wife had nine children. Note the metal tin, knife and the Marine Corp Good Conduct medal someone has placed here. A descendant perhaps, or fellow soldier?

Crest Lawn Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia

Crest Lawn is situated on one of the highest spots in the city of Atlanta, and has commanding views east and south towards downtown. This high ground was of natural strategic importance during the Battle of Atlanta, and Union and Confederate troops battled to control these heights.

Several synagogues maintain burial areas at Crest Lawn.

This shot looks down onto Joe Johnston Hill. "Fighting" Joe Johnston commanded the Confederate troops defending Georgia until he was replaced by General Hood shortly before the Battle of Atlanta.