Over the Lake and Through the Woods to Magnolia Cemetery We Go!

My adventure to Magnolia began with a 2.5 mile run to the cemetery. One foot after the other I made it to the miraculous burial ground. It was quite an adventure, running there, which in my opinion made the trip even better! Despite running into a snake on my way, I still enjoyed it as I love running.

Magnolia has their own blog, http://www.magnoliacemetery.net/ where they proudly state Magnolia as "One of America's most beautiful and historic cemeteries." Not only is it beautiful and historic, it's also interactive too! Magnolia hosts an anual Confederate Ghost Walk in the middle of October, with more than 200 re-enactors!

When I first entered Magnolia the lake and bridge caught my eye. All the water reflecting the perfect blue sky was truly breathtaking. Magnolia Cemetery is very old, being that it was built in 1850, but it has been very well kept up since then. Props to the grounds crew, who were so kind as to give me bug spray after getting eaten alive the first couple minutes of wandering around the cemetery.

the sun dazzling off the lake

The overall landscape of the cemetery was breathtaking. I especially liked the bridge and the lake. The covering of big, beautiful trees, and dynamic layout of grave markers made for a very unique feel. The palm trees added a very nice touch to graves surrounding them. The walkability of the course was good, and paths were wide enough for cars.

palm tree next to grave sight

big, beautiful tree casting shade over path

open landscape and large path

bridge across lake

Palm trees lining lake

The extravagant grave markers added to the uniqueness that makes Magnolia Cemetery one of the greatest in the country. The Victorian Era captured such art in the stone that makes up this cemetery. My favorites include the infant grave of Rosalie Raymond. She was born in January 1882 and died in September 1882, not even reaching her first birthday. This was one of my favorites because of the design. It is made to look like a baby cradle, and there is an infant face in the cradle. This makes it very apparent that the particular grave is one of a baby.

My next favorite grave sight of Magnolia is the monument dedicated to Elbert P. Jones. Born in Kentucky on September 23, 1814, and died in Charleston on April 1, 1852. This grave sight is truly a sight to see. The thing is so massive in size, it is truly amazing. It includes an extremely tall, pointed top and a lady holding a bible sculpted out of the stone. There are several tiers leading up to the main part of the monument. So miraculous in size, this is one of my favorites.

Last but not least is the memorial for the Confederate soldiers in Magnolia Cemetery. This was one of my favorite sights to see because of its beauty and history, both things that Magnolia Cemetery is known for. the organization, and sculpting of this memorial is very visually appealing, making it another one of my favorites sights of the trip. The simplicity of the lines of small headstones paired with the lavish statue of a soldier made for the perfect memorial recipe.  

Overall, I was very pleased with my experience on this trip! It was nice to explore on my own the many places this cemetery had to offer. It was such wonderful weather, making for a wonderful day, in a wonderful place! Here's a picture of me jumping for joy after my walk through the magnificent Magnolia Cemetery.

Until I LEAP into my next blog post, bye bye for now!