One of the oldest, largest and most beautiful cemeteries in the country within the top ten in the country is Laurel Grove. One can only fathom as to why I would take a greyhound bus very sick just to take a tour of the place hundreds of miles from home. It was special because it was the first cemetery I went to in Savannah. Aside from the Bonaventure cemetery matching close to this one Laurel Grove is known for its ghost and history cause it resides right downtown Savannah. In a photo you will see the poverty stricken area of the projects and I walked right between them to get here.

The land was part of the Springfield Plantation named after its Laurel Oak trees which once inhabited the area and still do. The cemetery was developed in 1850 and was called the Old Cemetery, Old Jewish Cemetery, Potter's Field and Old Negro Cemetery.  You had your white burials to the north and black to the south. The Jewish section is a part located n the north side and then their are a few segregated grounds.  The cemeteries are separate and you can see it just hiking through various locations the graves change based on religion and origin.  But its also divided by a highway I never seen this because I mainly stayed in the older section. 

Their are 1000s of graves that give silent testimony to Savannahs rich history. You have giant magnolia trees, oaks, pines and even dogwoods.   In the north section is the Girl Scout found Juliette Gordon Lowe, the waving girl named Florence Martus, and over 1500 confederate graves.  Alot of them who died were brought here from the Battle Of Gettysburg and brought home 9 years after it by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who raised money with bake sales and other fundraisers.

Not to far away is the Juliette Gordon Lowe House which is said to be haunted by Sarah her mother and daughter in law Nellie. Today the house is a museum but serves as a reminder that not to far away they reside as permanent guest in the great Laurel Grove.  They can be seen sliding down the banister, playing the piano and furniture is often found moved.

As far as the cemetery goes its a spooky place when the sun starts to go down. Its very large you can get lost easily there are hills and alot of crooked big eerie looking trees.  It is noted to be a fairly haunted cemetery but its in a bad area of town and very few ever get in this place. At the entrance sits the crematorium with its giant wrought iron gates and woods off to the back. Its also the first cemetery that I get to share with my members that we visited in Savannah!

© By

Lord Rick

Above my visit to the projects leading up to some shots of myself in front of key sites within Laurel Grove