Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Westminster Burying Ground

I recently read about this cemetery in Wicked Baltimore - Charm City Sin & Scandal by Lauren Silberman and was fascinated by its description as the burying spot for Edgar Allan Poe and other famous Maryland notables.  It was also a source of cadavers stolen in the dark of night for the medical students at the University of Maryland Medical School that was next door.

Dan and I took a Sunday afternoon to go exploring to find the cemetery at the corner of Fayette and Green Streets in downtown Baltimore.  The church is no longer an active congregation, but the buildings are used for various purposes including a lunch time film series.  It's an interesting spot and worth the visit.

 

 The original entrance.









The church was built up over graves to create a catacombs of sorts.


Among the headstones you can read of the old ones, there is such tragedy of young lives lost.


A wide assortment of graves, crypts and vaults.


Edgar Allan Poe was originally buried next to his grandfather (upper right) but then moved to another spot in the cemetery with a much larger marker.

Take a quiet walk through these last photos in honor of those buried there.












10 comments:

  1. Those are some great photos. Just beautiful. And Poe's grave? How cool to see that! The architecture on some of those tombs/crypts, is beautiful as well.

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    1. Over the years there was a mysterious visitor to the grave on his birthday or his death date who would leave some cognac and a red rose. Hasn't happened now since early 2000s. No one can explain who it was either.

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  2. I found that very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. If you ever get to Baltimore you should see it for yourself.

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  3. I'm always amazed when reading old headstones to see what short lives many people had back then. Poe didn't live very long, did he?

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    1. I think Poe was in his 30s. It's still quite a mystery as to how he died. He was only passing through Baltimore at the time.

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  4. what an atmospheric place! Wonderful shots.

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  5. I am always drawn to old cemeteries -trying to imagine the life behind the names. Wonderful pictures!

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  6. i find old cemeteries romantic--i don't know why.:p
    fascinating headstones especially that of Edgar Allan Poe.
    great post!

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  7. I cannot resist looking around older cemeteries and reading some of the inscriptions. I was amazed how easy it was to read them in your photos despite the age. Very interesting post.

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