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by Ray Bendici (Revised by), Lisa Rogak (Author)
Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit, this guide shows where to find the most interesting and unusual ones in all of New England. Some have headstones that are fine art, others are associated with notorious events, and others are the final resting place of famous poets, soldiers, and statesmen. Included are large public facilities as well as the small family burying grounds hidden away behind crumbling stone walls and along once-cultivated farmland.
A sampling of cemeteries profiled: *Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where lifelike sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses stand next to a stone soccer ball and Shell Oil truck gravemarker, all elaborately carved from local granite by immigrant Italian stonecutters. *Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notorious Quaker burying ground famed for its frequent ghost sightings and still in use today. *A cemetery situated on the raised median of the Interstate in Warner, New Hampshire, which was preserved in 1970 by highway planners, who constructed the roadway around it. *Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Vermont, final resting place of Timothy Clark Smith, whose 1893 crypt includes a window to help him escape in case he was buried alive. Driving directions are provided for each cemetery, and detailed maps show the location of the more obscure graveyards. This unique guide offers an intriguing way to learn about the history and culture of New England.Back Jacket
Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit. Some are the final resting places of famous authors, soldiers, and statesmen, while others are more notable for their intricate headstones and memorable epitaphs. All have their own unique characteristics and stories to tell. In Stones and Bones of New England, author Lisa Rogak tells the tales of nearly one hundred of the most intriguing burial grounds in all seven New England states. Included are: *Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where elaborately carved sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses can be found next to engravings of an oil truck and a soccer ball *Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notoriously haunted old Quaker burying ground that is still in use *Common Burying Ground in Newport, Rhode Island, which contains the graves of African Americans (both free and slave) from Newport's colonial trade days *Milford Cemetery in Milford, Connecticut, where Mary Fowler's tombstone bears the epitaph, "How soon she's ripe how soon she's rotten / Sent to her grave and soon forgotten." This highly readable guide also provides all the tools you need to explore on your own, with location information and glossaries that demystify the meaning behind hundreds of commonly carved symbols and headstone abbreviations. Insightful commentaries and interesting facts about funeral customs and traditions make this an engaging resource for casual visitors and ardent taphophiles alike.
Author Biography
Lisa Rogak is the author of more than twenty nonfiction books on cooking, travel, careers, country living, and other topics. She also runs a unique business selling antique funeral memorabilia on the Internet. She lives in Grafton, New Hampshire.
Ray Bendici is associate editor at Connecticut Magazine, where he has covered the state in depth for over a decade, including through his monthly "Sunday Drive" and "Being There" columns. He also runs DamnedCT.com, which is dedicated to all that's odd, unexplained, unusual and curious in Connecticut.
