This is a continuation of my journey through Vicksburg's historical Cedar Hill Cemetery. Yesterday's post featured beautiful, but heartrending, old stone memorials to children. Today I'd like to share with you the remainder of the pictures I took that day.
I was so excited when I discovered this exquisite little "Piano Monument."
It even has an inlaid porcelain picture of "Estelle," who was born November 5, 1889, and died January 25, 1911, at the age of 21.
Legend has it that if children come to the cemetery at midnight and touch the piano keys, they will play.
This is a memorial to a man who was born in Italy February 9, 1843, and died on November 20, 1904, at the age of 61 ...
I love the inscription:
This graceful angel marks the grave of "Addie," who was born in 1873 and died in 1900, at the age of 27 ...
These markers are in a family plot ...
I love the way this one is poised on the steps and the way her robes drape ...
This is one of my favorites. There is such an expression of sadness on this beautiful lady's face, you can almost imagine a tear running down her cheek as she mourns her lost loved one ...
The elaborate family plot is enclosed within a stone wall and is floored with what appears to be ceramic or marble tiles.
I don't have any idea of the cost of monuments like these when they were created, but I'm sure it would cost a small fortune to recreate them today.
Here are a few photos of the Soldiers Rest section of Cedar Hill. I hope to go back someday and walk through this section. The panoramic view of those 5,000 stones is truly breathtaking.
12 comments:
I enjoy (seems like an odd word to use here but anyway) old cemetaries also. I've never ever seen anything like the piano monument.
It's amazing how elaborate the statues are. Thanks for sharing these beautiful picturs.
This cemetary just caught my eye. Im a weird one but I find peace and history when I walk through them. Living in Louisiana I jumped when I saw your photos from Mississippi. Such pretty pictures. Dont think I would be there at midnight with kids though... I will have to take their word on that one, smile
oh boy, i could tell you some stories about hanging out in the military park when we were younger (hilarious ones)! my friend lived on the border and we'd sneak into the park and hang out on the monuments. it was so neat. also, my grandparents had a furniture store for YEARS across the street from the candy company... :) thanks for posting all of these pics... it's my home town! (sorry i didn't post my name.... i have an anonymous blog, but love visiting yours!)
Janie,
Your posts of the Cedar Hills Cemetery have been so touching and I marvel at the love, beauty, sentiment and craftsmanship of the monuments.
My husband found himself him in Barnstable Mass. a few years back, which was the home of his ancestors. He wandered into the town library looking for information of his grandfather. The librarian told him he was standing in his ancestral home, the very one his grandfather had built! She showed him, the family bible where so much of the family history had been written and then directed him to the family cemetery. It was quite special for him. We cherish the pictures and information he found.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friend
Hi Janie,
I don't mean to sound strange, but I so enjoy going through old cemeteries, when my daughter was a Jr. in college we stayed in a hotel on Boston Common, and did the old cemetery there, we saw John Hancock's stone amongst others, wish I had thought to take pictures!!
Love this post...
Kathy :)
ps I wouldn't go in @ midnight though for all the tea in China lol !!
Hi Janie, So glad you left a comment on my porch posting...gave me the opportunity to find your wonderful blog! I've been on a few tours of old historic cemetaries (mostly in Savannah, GA) and the monuments are always amazing! The stories that go with them like the one about the piano are so interesting. I loved learning about all the symbolism...like what a "stump" monument means. Thanks for such an interesting post! And thanks so much for the truly kind comments you left on the porch.
:-) Susan
Janie, these are phenomenal pictures, and those war graves make me weak-kneed. When we were children, we were let out of school on Memorial Day to decorate the graves of the soldiers who died in the War Between the States. I hate calling it the Civil War because there was nothing civil about it. War is anything but. Thank you for these pictures. If you ever get to Crystal Springs, they have an amazing cemetery, too. I went there once years ago, and it is beautiful.
XO,
Sheila
I'm back to wish you a very Happy Sunday...
XO,
Sheila :-)
I really enjoyed revisting the cemetery again. The monuments are so beautiful and yet so sad. You can tell they were all very loved.
hugs,
rue
I've always loved old cemetaries...the monuments were so elaborate and detailed. The piano one was really amazing!
Great shots, Janie! I particularly liked the photos of the Bonelli family plot, which I suppose is the most "monumental" one there. I was told by one of the Bonelli descendants (many still in Vicksburg) that the statues were custom-made for them in Italy...from where they originally came...and shipped here for their plot. (The interesting house at the corner of Clay and Adams was one of the Bonelli homes.)
Seeing this post reminds me I need to go to Cedar Hill soon and pay my respects to those relatives and friends of mine who are buried there.
Touring Cedar Hill cemetery reveals the history of Vicksburg families in a very candid way....always sad but often strikingly beautiful as well.
Jon at Mississippi Garden
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