The Magnificent Magnolia Cemetery

The Magnolia Cemetery is such a beautiful and historical cemetery. On Friday, November 1, 2019, my Beyond The Grave class took a trip to learn more about this amazing cemetery. I've never seen such a huge cemetery so well kept. Here, at this cemetery I was so amazed I took over 100+ pictures.

Professor Harwood telling us a little about the
cemetery before we get started with our tour.

Fun Facts: The Magnolia Cemetery was founded in 1849 but opened in 1850. It is 150 acres of land with approximately 35,000 people buried there. It is such a historical cemetery with seven confederate generals, 14 ordinance of secession signers, and 2,200 confederate veterans and war dead buried here at this very site. You can find out more fun facts about this cemetery by visiting the cemetery, looking on it's website, or even buying my Professor's book online!

The site of the Magnolia Cemetery is so beautiful. The layout of the stones can be as large as families would like them to be. They are called Stone Clots. Some stone clots only have one tombstone in it because over time, many people forget about the sites of their families. The layout is in such as where families have an area to themselves. The spaces between the stone clots are very spacious to where you can drive through the cemetery. Also, there is this beautiful bridge that takes you from one side of the cemetery to the next. They have many goose here and you can hear the frogs near the water. The trees are very big and tall and at this site it also has one of the oldest trees there is.

This is the bridge that takes you across the cemetery.
My classmates and I even got a chance to walk it.

Here is one of the oldest trees. Through many
hurricanes it is still standing.

This is a view of a stone clot with many family
members buried inside. 

Three monuments that stood out to me were the Lipinski monument, W.m B. Smith monument, and the Vanderhorst monument. These three monuments stood out to me for various reasons. The Lipinski monument stood out to me because it nearly looks like a house built. The monument is built already for the family if anyone passes away. Buried here already is Harriet and Henry Lipinski.

Professor Harwood talking to us about the
monument.

Here is a picture of the inside of the monument
that I took through the door.

This is a picture of my teammates and I.
(Bryce, Me (Gee), and Jaxon) 

The W.m B. Smith monument stood out to me because it is shaped like a pyramid. According to the book "In The Arms of Angels" about Magnolia's cemetery, William Burroughs Smith (1894) was a wealthy merchant, banker, investor, and financier. The Smith's pyramid is not only prominent in size and design, but also in location. It enjoys a shady spot amid Spanish moss and Palmetto trees along the cemetery's back lagoon (Harwood, pg. 18). Buried here is William Smith, his wife Frances Susan and 6 other descendants. 

This is Bryce going to look in the inside of the
monument. 

The last monument that stood out to me was the Vanderhorst Mausoleum monument. Much is known about the life and times of Ann Elliot Vanderhorst. Here in Charleston, SC they have a street named after her which is very close to The College of Charleston. At this monument, you are able to look inside the door where it had three engraved tablets listed against the wall.

Visiting this cemetery, or “necropolis” as I should say has been such a great experience. I have learned so much here at this site. It is such an amazing historical cemetery with lots to learn about. This has honestly been the best site I have visited and would highly encourage anyone to go and learn more about. Make sure to choose a bright and sunny day.

Class picture.