- Photos posted on my blog are mine unless stated otherwise. BH

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hollywood Cemetery

     Hollywood Cemetery - established in 1849.  Named for the many holly trees that dot the landscape .
It's designed in a rural garden style with areas fenced in with seating for visits from family and friends. 
Several ghosts stories associated with Hollywood as with most cemetaries,  like the dog at the childs grave
The iron dog used to sit in front of a store in Richmond.   Children with the last name of Reese would go by  and play on it and pet it.  It was bought by I believe the grandfather who placed it here to save it from being melted down to make bullets when the Civil war broke.out   The dog marks the graves of Reeses children.   
You can see candy placed in the niche of the headstone
One story says the dog has chased away visitors from the childrens graves
(ghosteyes.com is where I took some info on hollywood cemetery)

lily of the valley - purity and innocence
crypt in side of hill
stained glass in crypt

fenced in family plot with seating
I
doors to crypts

  there is vampire legend about a Mr. W.W. Poole who was an accountant that died in the 1920's
who was buried in one of the crypts here.  
 There was a train tunnel collapse in the year 1925 in Church hill
A fireman was shoveling coal in the steam tank of a train , the tunnel caved and the tank ruptured which burnt the fireman Benjamin Mosby badly.   Burned horribly- with skin hanging  and  several teeth broken -running he made it to the opening of the tunnel in shock before the collapse,  he died at Grace hospital the next day.   It has been passed on that someone saw the burning man run to Pooles crypt and that is how th legend of the vampire  came about.    
 I have also heard that Pooles crypt has been broken into so many times(by satanic cult)  with his bones found in another area of the cemetary.   Also heard that he has been moved to another  cemetery because of the break ins.
 There are so many tales out there - who knows really
----------------------------------------
Twenty five confederate generals are buried here .  Two are George Pickett and J.E.B Stuart
In 1869 a 90 foot granite pyramid was built as a memorial to more than  18,000 men of the confederate Army who are buried here.
It's been reported that  moans have been heard in the evening coming from the pyramid and that cold spots are felt.     This is a beautiful place,  well maintained and people everywhere - doesn't matter to me,  I want nothing to do with this place in the late afternoon.  
swords crossed - death in battle
Reports of being followed by the eyes of some of the statues here
After reading the haunted stories  and seeing the statues,  I guess the mind starts playing tricks
I never see or feel any of what the haunted tales tell - during the day anyway.
I am sure at late evening it looks scary with the shadows casts by the
statues and grave stones.





Beautiful monuments to the deceased - Lamb , innocence

Our Lady of Lourdes
The cemetary over looking the James River.  Symbolizing for some the River Jordan 
Lovely old iron fence
An earlier post I wrote about a woman who was visiting told me this was a whisper wall and
it does work,  my friend Carolyn sits on one end while I on the other whispered to each other and it carried our words to one another.
Till next time
Happy Haunts on  Halloween
Betsy

6 comments:

  1. I love,love,love this cemetary. I love all cemetary's that have old stones and staues like this one. Nice post for Halloween!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Betsy! What a neat old cemetery! I just love the old stones/statues and iron fencing in old cemeteries. A lot of history there in that cemetery too. That's sweet about the dog story. Thanks for sharing and Happy Halloween! Gina

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Betsy, this is one beautiful cemetery. We spend lots of time visiting cemeteries too, always in search of stained glass to photograph and the lovely statuary. I have never seen a granite tower that tall, truly amazing. I wonder how they built it? I find peace in these places of rest, never really did understand the fear associated with the dead. It's the living that scare me!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is easily the coolest cemetery I have EVER seen! You have taken some awesome pics!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Betsy, deine Fotos sind wunderschön! Ich gehe sehr gerne über Friedhöfe, sie sind so friedvoll. Drum heißen sie ja auch so.
    In England kann ich an keinem Friedhof vorbeigehen.

    Sigrun

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Betsy, Isn't Hollywood Cemetery so beautiful? The stories behind the families and sites are amazing and it's nice to view it through another Richmonder's eyes. There is so much history in this old city of ours. Fabulous post for Halloween. ~ Lynn

    ReplyDelete

Enjoy reading your comments always!
If there is a return email address when I check my moderation of comments, I will reply then. If no reply is enabled, I will reply to comment under post. Thank you - Betsy