It's the first Sunday in October, which means it's time for another installment of Cemetery Sundays, where I grab my camera and roam local cemeteries, documenting the richly ornate tombstones and epitaphs contained within.
As I continue to shoot this series, I have really begun to focus on tombstones from the 1800s (luckily, most cemeteries in the Northeast Ohio area have stones dating back that far). Their ornate shapes coupled with the detailed, calligraphic epitaphs make for beautiful photos, something that you just can't get with the traditional marble tombstones of today.
I look forward to doing this each season, as I have really come to appreciate the time alone, quietly walking around a cemetery free from distraction. It has become a nice weekly escape to document something that isn't normally considered beautiful by the average person.
So let's kick off a new season of Cemetery Sundays. Enjoy!
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a Cleveland Indians baseball game at Progressive Field (but we still call it "The Jake"...) in downtown Cleveland. There were two big takeaways from this game: 1) my Indians kicked the crap out of the Detroit Tigers, securing another appearance in the postseason, and 2) I was able to walk out of the stadium, cross East 9th Street, and walk right into Erie Street Cemetery, the oldest existing cemetery in Cleveland.
The cemetery was founded in 1826 and houses the graves of many of Cleveland's earliest settlers and city leaders. The site has been established as an official Ohio Historical Site and Cleveland City Landmark.
And even though the cemetery is positioned right in the middle of the hustle of downtown Cleveland and Progressive Field, I was able to meander through the grounds unaffected by the surrounding noise and chaos. I snapped photos wildly, trying to capture the beauty throughout. I could have been there for hours if I had the chance.
There are a ton of beautiful old tombstones throughout the grounds and a visit to Erie Street Cemetery is mandatory if you ever find yourself in Cleveland with a bit of time to spare!
But if you don't, just sit back and enjoy this massive collection of photos from Erie Street Cemetery...
I thought I had the grounds to myself until I came upon this. Anyone who knows about Canadian Geese know how nasty and vile these things can be. Goose crap everywhere. Hissing and charging. I despise them. But I gave them enough space and they let me pass unharmed. Sometimes a draw is still a win...
On second glance, I noticed that a previous cemetery wanderer had left an offering to the dead. An apple a day...
3 comments:
Love the shapes on some of these - a real inspiration to Tombstone carvers. I do have to disagree with you about the Canada Goose. They are just survivors, doing the best they can in a world over run by humans.
There are some amazing stones in there! Absolutely beautiful.
And all of this beauty somehow survives with a bustling city on all sides. lady M, I actually agree with you on the Canadian geese. It's cool to see them fly overhead in their large V formations. Just give them their space and they are fine... :)
Post a Comment