Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Morbid? Maybe...

...but I love cemeteries, especially old ones. I love wandering the grounds and looking at the stones and imagining the lives of those who left this earth so long ago. It may be morbid to some, or creepy or even wrong, but my fascination stems from a respect for those who lived before me. I have an even greater affinity for the stones of those who passed so long ago that is impossible for anyone to be alive who still remembers them. In these cases, I like to stand there and think of them for a bit.

The photos below were taken by me last summer at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Evanston, IL. So many of the graves were intriguing and lovely, but my favorite was this one below, of the young boy's statue enclosed in the capsule-like monument. His name was Josie, and he died in 1891 at the age of nine.







Does anyone else have the same affinity for cemeteries?
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13 comments:

  1. Oh, I am with you here. The detail and pride shown in the old tombstones is incredible. It's our last act to honor their lives. Nowadays there are so many unmarked graves.

    The boy statuette in intriguing and so is the bust of the woman.

    Thanks for sharing!


    http://christiecottage.blogspot.com

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  2. The best cemetaries are in New Orleans! We spent New Years there one year and spent New Years Day wandering around the cemetaries.

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  3. wow! how creepy! thanks for sharing this!

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  4. I love cemetaries too! I like to look at the monuments and head stones for dates and details. The cemetary by our house has a separate Jewish section and a separate Laotian section. It's very interesting to see a different emphasis and various decorations put on the graves dependent on religion and culture.

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  5. We used to live in a renovated crematorium in the middle of a cemetery, so I am totally with you.
    I love the boy statue one.

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  6. Oh i love cemetaries as well...i live less than a block from an old one and i wander around and read all of the stones (as wel as i can) many are faded and broken to bits but i daydream...

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  7. P.S. happy early birthday to your daughter as well ;) July 26th is a great day. hehe

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  8. Pretty, but you're right, kind of creepy. My favorite cemeteries are in Germany - they're like parks, they're really well maintained and the landscaping is gorgeous.

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  9. I'm studying history and cemetaries are such great links to the past - they hold so much information as well as sentiment. How sad to lose a son at age 9. He was obviously much loved to have such an elaborate memoriam.

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  10. Guess who....me ofcourse ;)

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  11. That first one is amazing!! This looks like a very interesting place. :) Statues and busts are always the best part, and I also love seeing all the old-fashioned names.

    Thanks for sharing the link to this entry with me - I'd missed it!

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  12. It's so creepy but beautiful! I love to read funeral notes in the newspapers - I know people think that's somehow sick but I'm often thinking of how they lived, If they lived that life they wanted - It's intriguing.

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  13. Yes I'd have to say that i've looked at tombstones in the same way. Back in the day me and some friends use to sneak out to this old slave graveyard deep in the woods. Creepy?? maybe ...interesting?? definetly _jojosart

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I read every single one of your comments- thanks for leaving one!

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