I Love Dead People

July 17, 2014 — cemeteries, dead, history, Texas

Oakwood Cemetery

My own fascination with dead people is neither religious nor political. I study my own ancestry to get a broader understanding of history and how I came into being. When I travel I love nothing better than to check out  cemeteries to meet the locals and see what they have been doing. I am lucky right now to be situated between two very old and very large grave yards.  All of these people have died in Austin, Texas over the span of hundreds of years.  I notice what similar features the plots and monuments have in common, and then notice what makes each grave distinct.  The designs and the grand expenditures tell one part of the tale, but if you let yourself imagine what their lives were like and how they made the journey here history becomes a real human story.  Some might think graves are macabre, but to me they are clues to the ongoing conditions of cultural change.  The dead at Oakwood express themselves in a few ways:

The handshake:

The private yard:

The Texan:

I learned that some of the important people in history in Oakwood have QR codes on the grave to give you the entire story of their lives.  I did not have my phone with me today, so I will go back and try this super smart way to get more out of a grave yard visit.  The grounds are lovely and well maintained.  I count this one as a top destination for those of us who love graves, topped only by all the people who fell off the Matterhorn who are buried in Zermatt (still the best I have seen), and the one in Salzburg at the monastery.  Y’all come and discover these dead Texans for yourselves.  They are cute and friendly.