Those flowers and architectural details we see on headstones are purposefully chosen for the individual laid to rest there. For example, each flower has a different meaning: daises are for youth, innocence iris denotes hope, purity lilies signify the resurrection poppies are a symbol of eternal sleep roses mean motherhood, beauty Even the way flowers…
Oh how I wish every cemetery had the trifecta of taphophiles Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis does! Last year I spent several hours of nearly every weekend photographing headstones for Find A Grave at this beautifully landscaped 250 acre garden cemetery. At the time the Find A Grave page for Lakewood said there were a little…
Jim, a fellow Find A Grave contributor and blogger jokingly suggested conducting a séance after reading my post about the elusive Lily Flower. Our conversation continued by sharing experiences with the departed during our frequent cemetery visits. Jim mentioned a cousin who had been spoken to by cemetery inhabitants who asked “Who are you?”, “Why…
Tis a little grave, but O have care, For world wide hopes are buried here. How much of light, how much of joy, is buried with our darling boy.
While updating memorials on Find A Grave recently I encountered two burials in the wrong cemeteries. Well not burials exactly, just the headstones. And not the wrong cemeteries exactly, just different cemeteries. The 1st incident came to my attention via email. I received the following message (from a 3rd party, not from the contributor mentioned below):…
As a genealogist in America, much of my research is focused on my ancestors’ countries of origin. From whence did they come? Researchers on the other side of the pond are also curious about the “to”. My husband has been helping a Norwegian genealogist learn more about his emmigrant ancestors’ lives in America. For my small part, I located their final resting places.…
A weather-worn obelisk stands proudly in section 7 of Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis Minnesota. On one side, a plaque pays tribute to a Revolutionary War soldier’s descendants. To all those who fought, and continue to fight for our independence – thank you.
Early morning at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis offers some amazing views.
Monuments do more than just mark spaces in cemeteries. In Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, Olaf, Christine and Effie Olsson rest near a large family monument with several meanings. The style itself – a stone that is half carved and half uncarved – symbolizes the transition from life to death. Closer inspection reveals a complete pillar with leaves and…
Winter dragged on forever here in the Midwest. I hadn’t been to Lakewood since January when the cemetery looked like this: For months I suffered headstone withdrawal, especially after Mother Nature’s 70 degree tease in late March. But yesterday, after a visit to the dentist, I rewarded myself with a cemetery visit. Just in time to…
where2look4ancestors 