Bonaventure Cemetery, Thunderbolt, Georgia

“Bonaventure to me is one of the most impressive assemblages of animal and plant creatures I ever met.”

John Muir

Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. Joe and I strolled the winding roads in the shade of the live oaks draped with Spanish moss looking at some of the masterpieces that were placed on loved ones graves. The branches of the oaks stretched over the roads and seemed to reach towards each other as if they were trying to hold hands. There is nature all around us and the song birds were singing happily while we strolled by. It was like a symphony of bird calls serenading us as we gazed at the all the lovely statues and memorials.

This cemetery has grown to 160 acres that are full of beauty and history. This is one of Savannah’s attractions and is only three miles from downtown Savannah. In the spring, when the azaleas bloom it adds a newly defined display of color that is spectacular. The cemetery was established in 1846 and is located on the Wilmington River on a scenic bluff. We stopped when we got near the river and sat on a bench facing the river and sat quietly taking in the beauty of this spot. Bonaventure means good fortune in Italian and it is just that for the ones who are buried here. You couldn’t ask for a better resting place. Along with the live oaks there are gorgeous Magnolia trees gracing the property and adding shade. The oldest part of the cemetery was designed like a Victorian park but the later design was set up in a way to place more graves but is still beautiful.

John Muir, an environmentalist/naturalist known as “John of the Mountains” and “Father of the National Parks”, stopped at this cemetery while walking his Thousand Mile Walk to Florida and the Gulf. He started his journey in Indianapolis and walked all the way to the Gulf of New Mexico near Tampa. He stayed in the cemetery for six days in October in 1867 while waiting for his money that was delayed to arrive. He wrote a chapter called, “Camping in the Tombs” from his book “A Thousand Mile Walk” all about his stay in the Bonaventure Cemetery. John Muir stated, “The rippling of living waters, the song of birds, the joyous confidence of flowers, the calm, undisturbable grandeur of the oaks, mark this place of graves as one of the Lords most favored abodes of life and light.”

There are many notable people that are buried there but it seems more that anything people are drawn to the grave of six year old, Gracie Watson who died in April 1889 of pneumonia. Her parents so loved her they hired a sculptor, John Walz to do a full size replica of her. People are drawn to her grave and put toys and flowers out for her. It is said that on occasion you can hear a little girls laughter while at her grave site and some people have observed if something is taken that was left for her, you can hear a little girl crying. She is still well loved as you can tell by the crowds that visit her every day.

The book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” by John Berndt made this cemetery even more famous by using the “Bird Girl” statue on its cover. The “Bird Girl” was in the cemetery for fifty years before she got noticed. In 1997, she attracted such huge crowds, they moved her to the Telfair Museum in Savannah.

Walking around we found soldiers who were buried from the Spanish American War, Civil War, and other wars. Just by chance we drove by a grave site of a family we have known for years, the Buchanan’s and stopped to pay our respect.

This cemetery feels more like a park in most places. It is peaceful even with the crowds roaming just as we were. It is worth stopping in and walking or driving through to see the beauty of this place. We only saw a portion of it but plan on revisiting at a later date. The cemetery is open from 8 to 5 and tours are sometimes given in the cemetery by the Bonaventure Historical Society for free. Check online for their schedule if you are interested in a tour. Check out more information on this stunning cemetery. Www.bonaventurehistorical.org.

#MostBeautifulCemeteryInTheWorld #SavannahCemeteries #InterestingPlacesToSeeSavannah