The only place you can find equality is in a cemetery

May 5, 2022

Charleston fun day

Today was actually a partial fun day and also a chore day. I'd scoped out places to visit in Charleston and found the historic Magnolia Cemetery. We like old cemeteries and back in Denver, we help lead tours of one nearby our home.

So after some journal updating, we headed out to find the cemetery. The drive was a little stressful as we ended up missing a turn despite using the truck's mapping system. But we finally made it and spent a pleasant hour meandering around.

There were actually 3 different cemeteries next to each other. We pulled into the Bethany Cemetery which looked interesting. It is known for its Victorian era funerary art and was opened by St. Mathew's Lutheran Church in 1856. The church needed a second cemetery after its first one was filled following a devastating yellow fever outbreak among the immigrant German population of Charleston.

We didn't spend a long time there but enjoyed looking at a number of interesting monuments and ornate wrought iron fencing around grave sites.

Next door we went to the main event - Magnolia Cemetery which opened in 1850. It was designed in the manner of European cemeteries with landscaped paths, ponds and green space where Charlestonians could come to play and picnic along with visiting the graves of loved ones. It is the final resting spot for many notable people from South Carolina and is still in operation.

We drove around the narrow paths and found many unusual monuments and mausoleums including one in the shape of a pyramid! In one area, we happened upon the graves for the crews of the H.L.Hunley - a Confederate submarine who lost men in 3 separate sinkings (you'd think that maybe serving in this ship wasn't the best idea?).

The Hunley was around 40 ft. long and built in Mobile, AL. It was launched July 1, 1863 and was referred to as the fish boat, the fish torpedo boat and the porpoise.

In August 1863, it sank during a test run, killing 5 of its crew. In October 1863 it sank, this time killing all 8 members of the crew including her inventor.

The submarine was raised once again where in February 1864, it became the first combat submarine to sink a warship - the USS Housatonic during a battle in Charleston Harbor during the Civil War. The Hunley sank one last time, killing everyone on board and was subsequently lost.

The submarine was located in 1995 by NUMA - an organization that author Clive Cussler formed. In 2000, it was raised and is currently on display at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in Charleston.

Our fun time over, we headed next to a Costco to pick up a few groceries and gas up the truck. Back home, the rest of the day was uneventful as we read, relaxed and watched the bird/squirrel "TV"!

The impressive Richardsonian Romanesque gates on the Bethany Cemetery - 1915. They would look great at the Mugdock Castle on Sullivan's Island!

This monument is to Brigadier General Johann Wagener who was the leader of a German Artillery during the Civil War.

This was another interesting monument which was to a former Charleston fire chief.

The receiving tomb and German style chapel at Bethany.

This burial plot near the chapel was surrounded by some of the most ornate wrought iron we had ever seen. It was designed by German blacksmith - Christopher Werner in the 1850s. It was built to enclose the graves of 12 families.

This cool pyramid mausoleum holds members of the Smith and Whaley families. W.B.Smith was the richest person in Charleston, dealing as a broker for cotton. His body lay in the receiving tomb for 30 months until this mausolem was finished in 1894. The Egyptian influence is commonly seen in cemeteries (we have some at the cemetery near us). But the pagan aspects of the architecture didn't always sit well with cemetery superintendents so the tomb designers usually added a Christian accessory such as a cross or Biblical figures to soften the pagan overtones.

Continuing the Egyptian theme was this mausoleum.

We happened upon the graves for the 3 different crews of the Hunley that lost their lives when the submarine sank.

Looking across the pond to the pyramid. If you look closely, you can just make out the steps to the front door on the north. Magnolia cemetery was designed with lots of lovely water features and trees.

This was a receiving tomb in Magnolia Cemetery. The door was open but it didn't look like anyone was inside!

I'm always partial to the angel monuments.

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