Monday, May 24, 2010

The Interesting,Odd, and Beautiful

This title could be applied to most cemeteries.It seems like there are a few of each in most of the older burial grounds.This one I think of as odd and interesting.

I really want to know the story behind this one and you know there has to be one.How many people have a full sized bell as a grave marker?I had hoped to ask a lady from the local historical society in S.J.B. but she was not at the event I attended.I will find out though!J.R. Hodcdon is buried in the Protestant section.
Here is another one from San Juan Bautista, this one startled me so much I forgot to take a picture of the outside of the mausoleum!

There are only a few mausoleum's  in this cemetery,not real fancy.But I was not expecting someone to be looking back when I peered through the door!
Madame Blanche Taix is a formidable looking woman! I wonder why her bust bears the title Madam while Antoine  is just his name?My best guess for nationality is Italian or Swiss(that part of Switzerland that gets traded back and forth with Italy according to who won the last war.)Most of  the above ground tombs are for those 2 groups.These busts have amazing detail.I wanted to go in and clean of all that dust.It was hard to see in at the dates and names though I think Antoine died in 1899.It is a pity about the glass behind them,though it adds to the startle factor! Many of the very old graves here are still tended by local family but somehow I got the feeling this one maybe not.

How come I can see the figures through the wire in this shot? Shouldn't the metal wire appear solid? Strange shot but I like it.
To me these are somehow the most beautiful. 

 Following Dead Man Taklings advice I took pictures of every wooden marker I could find in the cemetery.He's right even unmarked they have value and they won't last forever.
I posted this one before but did not show the back.


The Nyland family have a tomb next to Harvey's burial site and they appear to be old timers in San Benito Countey.
Thank you all for a another little tour through San Juan Bautista CA.cemetery with me.I am linking this to the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival.

6 comments:

Dorene from Ohio said...

Very interesting tombstones! Thanks for sharing them.

Karen said...

I love to see unusual gravestones - thanks for the tour!

Free Genealogy Guide said...

I've never even heard of a bell being used as a gravemarker, but it's intriguing because bells are relatively timeless. They are still made pretty much the same way today that they were hundreds of years ago. Plus the creation and casting of a bell was often a project involving the entire town.

By the way, I think you have a good eye and some of the images, such as the wooden crosses, are more striking because of the point of perspective (the angles of the crosses toward and away from one another).

Laurie said...

The wooden grave marker shot is very good! Fascinating.

Bohemian said...

I see that there are not any current Blog Posts so I Hope you get this message thanking you for visiting my Blog and leaving a comment. Glad you enjoyed my Dia de los Muertos Celebration Post... it is a rich part of our Culture here and so much Fun, so it is one of my favorite Celebrations as well.

My Mom used to take us through old Cemetaries to view the Beautiful Markers an in Europe to see the Beautiful Markers & Headstones so we never thought a Graveyard to be a creepy place, but a place of Serenity and expressions of much Love towards those that have gone before us.

Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Unknown said...

I like all the photos but the one I especially enjoyed is the country cemetery. Nothing like a tranquil cemetery, nestled in a field. Beauty.