Author: mblauss

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Howland Cemetery, Hanson, MA

mblauss

Every summer I explore this cemetery, as it is on my aunt’s property, and never ceases ceases to captivate. I also try to photograph it each summer, keeping records over time of the state of the stones. Per the advice and sharp eye of my Aunt Maria, we uncovered a broken headstone in the small Howland plot so that I could photograph it. Fending off the swarms of mosquitoes, I took several good photographs of it before reburying it, in attempts to longer preserve the stone from thieving hands. Several stones have disappeared over the years, with visitors to the … Continue reading Howland Cemetery, Hanson, MA

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Geocaching

mblauss

The kids today went on a grand adventure, courtesy of Geocaching.com. The basic concept is that people take a waterproof container and place in it a logbook and a “treasure”, then post its coordinates on the website. Those with GPS technology can then search for the “caches”, sign the logbook, and take the treasure – so long as they leave behind a new treasure for the next explorers! The site has opportunities for great creativity – some of my favorites so far have been sites near cemeteries. They leave clues to find specific gravestones throughout the cemetery, then have equations … Continue reading Geocaching

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New England Historic Genealogical Society, Newbury Street, Boston, MA

mblauss

Ooh exciting! Just got an email from NEHGS today with the fall lineup of lectures. Since I will be in Boston this fall, my interest is peaked! Here’s one I am especially looking forward to: Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and WarNovember 8, 2006, 7 p.m. presentationJust in time for Thanksgiving, bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick will speak on the subject of his latest book, Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War. Publisher’s Weekly’s starred review praised Philbrick’s “remarkable effort” in bringing the founders of Plymouth Colony “vividly to life.” Winner of the National Book Award for In the … Continue reading New England Historic Genealogical Society, Newbury Street, Boston, MA

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Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

mblauss

On the way home from DC, we stopped today at Gettysburg. Despite my love of American history and knowledge of the battles and details, I was not prepared for the sheer vastness of Gettysburg. Endless fields, and endless room for the imagination. The National Cemetery at Gettysburg was created in efforts to bury the dead from the Battle of Gettysburg. A quick look at Wikipedia lists the casualties as such:Union: 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing)Confederate: 22,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing)These numbers are unbelievable… the battle lasted 3 days from July 1-3, 1863, and was the bloodiest … Continue reading Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

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Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

mblauss

Of all the things to do in Washington DC, one of the places I was excited to visit was Arlington National Cemetery. Although it was incredibly hot, the trip was extremely worthwhile. There is a great deal of parking, and pedestrian traffic is led through the Visitor’s Center at the beginning of the cemetery, which has a little gift shop, an information center, and an exhibit that features large photographs of significant moments in the cemetery’s history, along with explanatory text. The photos themselves are very overwhelming, but they barely come close to capturing the actual experience of stepping outside … Continue reading Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

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National World War II Memorial, Washington D.C.

mblauss

This week we are in Washington DC on vacation! While this technically doesn’t count as a cemetery, this memorial along the Mall was of interest to me because a few years ago I met Nick Benson, stone carver from the John Stevens Shop in Newport, RI. The John Stevens Shop has been in operation since 1705, and numerous articles and gravestone afficiandos have detailed stones in Newport – and much farther! – made from the shop. Today the shop is under the direction of Nick Benson, and the shop still handcarves lettering on stones. During a course at Brown University, … Continue reading National World War II Memorial, Washington D.C.

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Green River Cemetery, Greenfield, MA

mblauss

This article comes via the sharp eyes of Margo, who is keeping watch of all New England cemeteries while I am on vacation in Washington DC!! Erosion is endangering some 50 graves along the Green River, most of which are from the 1800s. The trouble is now to figure out just how exactly to undertake such a large project both safely and sensitively. Of note, a 40-foot obelisk belonging to William Washburn and his family has fallen to the ground. Washburn was Massachusetts’ Republican governor from 1872 to 1874. Let’s hope it all goes safely! Continue reading Green River Cemetery, Greenfield, MA

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St. Mary’s Cemetery, Middleboro, MA

mblauss

On the way home from the YMCA Jubee and I stopped by St. Mary’s Cemetery in Middleboro. The cemetery is owned by Sacred Heart Catholic Parish in Middleboro. There’s a tidy history of the church and cemetery here. The cemetery is fairly large and is filled with modern stones, there is a great deal of large granite squares with surnames on the front and smaller individual names and dates etched on the back or on smaller flush stones nearby. The middle of the cemetery is dominated by a large statue of Jesus: As a Catholic cemetery, religious symbology is found … Continue reading St. Mary’s Cemetery, Middleboro, MA

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“Forgotten” Cemeteries

mblauss

Recently I was a bit disturbed to hear on the radio that a body had been discovered by someone on their lunch break, close to where I work. The radio proclaimed that a murder investigation was underway – but it became quickly apparent that there was no need. The body was just one of many that were once part of a pauper cemetery in Cranston that had been forgotten, and largely paved over by Route 37. The full article is here. They uncovered several remains, but estimate that hundreds – perhaps more than a thousand – are buried in the … Continue reading “Forgotten” Cemeteries

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Ammon-Booth Cemetery, Lakeville, MA

mblauss

Don’t let the title of this blog entry fool you – I did not intend to find the Ammon-Booth Cemetery today! I had gathered some of my lovely family members to go hiking through the woods of Lakeville off of Race Course Road, in search of the Ramsdell-Robbins Cemetery. Lambert and Thatcher both refer to the cemetery as being “set back in the bushes”, into the woods and away from the road. Maps online and printed also positioned it slightly past halfway to the west on the road, and certainly made it look like it’s location would be behind someone’s … Continue reading Ammon-Booth Cemetery, Lakeville, MA

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Parish Burial Ground at the Green, Middleboro, MA

mblauss

This afternoon Jubee and I grabbed some DQ and decided to spend our time as most other normal people do: walk through a graveyard nearby. As 105 was on the way, we pulled up along the cemetery and perused. I had not been there in several years (has it really been seven years already!?), when it was one of the “field trips” in a New England Archaeology course I had with the wonderful Edward Gallagher. We had gone into the Congo church across the road (an exact replica, it seemed, to the Hanson Congo, and every other New England Congo … Continue reading Parish Burial Ground at the Green, Middleboro, MA