I remember camping in Maryland one time as a kid. I went wandering through the forest away from the campsite. I literally stumbled over a a headstone covered in vines. When I pulled the vines back and realized what it was, I looked up to see other shapes under a canopy of brambles. Nearby, the foundation of a long-ago cabin.
A family graveyard long forgotten? That thought gave me a shiver.
It happens from time to time that townspeople move away, families reestablish in new areas, and the dead are left behind. A forest grows up in what was once a meadow or perhaps a homestead is abandoned, but these creepy cemeteries that remain in the shadows give us goosebumps and morbid curiosity.
Where have all the people gone?
Let's have a look at some such abandoned memorials.
When Julie and I trekked to West Virginia for our book Abandoned Places Abandoned Memories (Appalachian Edition) we came across a creepy abandoned church, but when we looked across the empty country road, we found a very old cemetery in the woods.
On that same trip, we went to Evans City to see the "Night of the Living Dead Cemetery" (Evans City Cemetery) and were surprised that it was still very pastoral driving up to the turn off for the cemetery, driving through a winding driveway lined by trees to the cemetery that looked identical to the opening scene of the movie, surrounded by trees and very isolated. Although it was far from abandoned, it did feel like we were at the end of the world and everyone was gone.
You might enjoy building your own abandoned cemetery this Halloween. Consider gluing on some moss or painting it on. Add a few garlands of vines...
No comments:
Post a Comment