Blog
6 Famous Works Set in Cemeteries
Cemeteries have long been the location of everything creepy and suspenseful in popular culture. From artwork to books, plays to movies, the mystery and atmosphere surrounding a cemetery is something that keeps calling artists back. We’re big fans of a lot of cemetery settings in popular culture, so here are some of our favorites: “The Spoon River Anthology,” Edgar Lee Masters This series of free verse poems, later turned into a stage play, narrates the lives of the residents of the fictional town of Spoon River. Masters modeled his collection off the epitaphs found in the cemetery near his home…
5 Ways to Remember a Loved One During the Holidays
The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, full of special memories of time spent with friends and loved ones. But if you’ve recently lost a loved one, those happy memories often are replaced by painful reminders of absence. Whether your grief is new or you’ve been through multiple holiday seasons without your loved one, it’s never easy to feel festive when someone important is missing from your celebration. To help keep your loved one’s spirit alive this holiday season, here are 5 ways for incorporating your loved one’s memory into your holiday celebrations: Save a Seat Did your…
Using Cemeteries for Genealogy Research: 3 Steps to Take
Finding ancestors is an important task for many people. They want to know where their relatives came from, where they lived, and other details that make them feel like the real people they were instead of distant memories. In most genealogy projects, there is a need to visit a cemetery to aid in the search for ancestors. Rather than just showing up at your local cemetery and hoping for the best, there are a few steps you can take to make your cemetery research project easier and more successful. Here are 3 steps to take when using a cemetery for…
5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Urn
Choosing an urn for a loved one is an incredibly personal decision. Like selecting a burial plot, casket, and headstone, an urn is a final resting place that can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like. There are many types and styles of urns to choose from, and the decision can seem overwhelming. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ve compiled this list of 5 important things to consider when choosing an urn: Purpose While all urns are options for your loved one’s final resting place, determining how the urn will be used is an important first…
5 Beautiful Ways to Memorialize an Infant
Losing a pregnancy or infant is something no one wants to talk about. The loss leaves a deep wound in your heart that will never heal. Unfortunately, an estimated 1% of all pregnancies in the United States end in a stillbirth, and approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies result in a miscarriage. How can you keep reminders of a baby who was on Earth for such a short time but has made a permanent impact on your family? We’ve collected 5 beautiful ways to memorialize an infant: Jewelry Jewelry is one of the more common remembrances kept by grieving families, as…
10 Unique Memorials of American Wars
Veterans memorials and war memorials are important pieces of the way nations process and recover from wars and military conflicts. They’re used to remember the dead and honor those who served, and remind generations to come of the sacrifices made. Though everyone knows the larger national memorials, such as the Vietnam Wall or the Korean War Memorial, cities and states across the nation have found interesting ways to commemorate their residents’ parts in each military conflict. Here are 10 interesting veterans memorials from American wars: Revolutionary War – Molly Stark Statue, Wilmington, VT (rickpilot_2000 // Flickr) Elizabeth “Molly” Page Stark…
3 Ways to Remember a Loved One on the 4th of July
The 4th of July is often portrayed as a day for barbecues and beer, swimming and sand. But the true meaning of the day – to the founders of the United States and all those who have fought for our freedoms – can get lost in all the food and fun. If you have lost a loved one that served, the 4th of July can be an especially difficult time. Here are 3 ways to remember your loved one this 4th of July: Attend a 4th of July Service Many towns host 4th of July services, whether they be parades…
Spotlight: Victorian Funerary Customs
The Victorian era, or the latter part of the 19th century, is a time often associated with elaborate funerals and mourning customs. Much of the traditions of the time stemmed from the death of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. Queen Victoria and her entire court wore mourning for three years after his death, well past the customs of the time. Victorian funeral customs are varied and complicated. Here are some of the basic customs, as well as some interesting superstitions from the era: Dress Black was, as today, the official color of mourning. A man could continue working…
5 Unique Ways to Memorialize a Late Pet
Dogs and cats are as much a part of the family as any human, for many. The loss of a furry companion can be devastating, and you and your family may go through a long, difficult grieving process. You may choose to memorialize your pet with cremation, storing the ashes in an urn or other receptacle. Or, you may decide to bury your pet in your backyard or another significant place. These are great ways to remember your beloved animal friend, but you may be looking for something more unique to help you remember Fluffy or Fido. Here are 5…
Choosing Cremation: Do I Need a Memorial Marker?
Cremation rates in the United States have been on a steady climb since the 1970s. In 2016, half of all Americans were cremated, up from 5% in 1970 and 27% in 2001. There are many reasons this number has been on the rise, including the lower cost of cremation over burial, as well as the conservation of cemetery space. While cremation opens up a variety of unique options for containers to store remains, it presents the question for many: Do I need a memorial marker if I choose cremation? The answer is you don’t need a memorial marker, but it is an option…