4 Cemeteries in Connecticut
February 2, 2019
With an obligation-free weekend, I decided I’d hit the road in an attempt to get out of my head… and my apartment. And with the sun ablaze it almost felt like Spring. In the car. I had forgotten how much I love being on the road. But easy, Kerouac, I was going to Connecticut. Whoopie Doopie.
I had planned out an ambitious cemetery agenda during my winter break but Christmas kind of kicked my butt. Healthy and eager now, I executed the plan today, starting at Milford Cemetery in the oldest city in Connecticut. With its first burial in 1644, many of the graves are pretty basic–weathered and haphazard.
I was mostly there for the patina-ed women of Nathan Baldwin’s grave, certainly the most ornate in the cemetery. The monument contained a collapsed grieving young woman, rumored to be Baldwin’s daughter, along with beautiful ladies representing Love, Hope, Charity, and Faith.
Clearly, Hope is my favorite. Why is she covered by a veil? What is that in her hand? Charity is the prettiest and the least creepy-looking of the foursome.
Faith & Love
Rico Suave once said that if you want to know how well a woman takes care of herself, look at her feet. He’s a misogynist pig, but I agree when it comes to sculpture. An artist shouldn’t skimp on the feet.
Hope, again. Because she’s the best.
About 40 minutes away was Riverside Cemetery in Waterbury. I was excited to get in the ground as it dates back to 1853 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t venture in beyond a few yards past the gates. The cemetery man was closing it up as I arrived. Ice and poor road conditions made it too hazardous. Luckily these two patina-ed ladies were right by the gate.
This is what sadness looks like. I loved her hands but couldn’t express my love since the cemetery man was waiting for me to close things up.
There is this feeling of helplessness expressed through her hands. Then, as I drove to the next cemetery, I over-thought on it–how expressive hands are.
I have to get back to see the rest of the grounds, but am thankful he let me in to see these ladies.
And away to number three, Cedar Hill Cemetery. I was worried at this site that I might burn too much daylight and not get to enter cemetery four. But there was so much to see! And with a crunchy blanket of snow, the monuments took on an intense mood. Also, the gorgeous sunlight helped to illuminate all the green growth.
What a peaceful face. And so much texture.
I don’t know what it is, but male angels are just–so—boring. “Look at this dude!” Geez, that’s a quote from one of my students.
Wardrobe malfunction
She hasn’t aged a day.
I wish I had a ladder sometimes. I can’t capture all their expressions when they’re all high in the sky.
Winter solitude in a cemetery
Gosh, she’s enormous. And her patina is so interesting. Not to mention the huge gash of rust.
My wing man
Hashtag winter
A lady of Spring
Can’t resist this painball-looking splatter of green growth
She ought to be a meme.
This stout man on a chair was baffling. Mostly because I couldn’t make out any detail of his face.
Baby, it’s cold outside
Angel at the door
More pretty patina
So the last stop was Yantic Cemetery in Norwich, established in 1844. I was so worried the trip there would end in closed gates, but this old cemetery had a stone border I can easily scale. Perfect!
I was very excited to make it to cemetery number 4. For one, I take pride in creating travel itineraries and I am quite good at it at this point. For two, it’s an old cemetery that I’ve never been to, and three, the patina-ed lady I couldn’t wait to meet had been STOLEN from the grounds in 2010. We’ll get to her soon, but first–our lady of utility poles.
Pop quiz! Do you remember what I told you a star on the head means? As you may figure out on your own with the whole star being in the sky, sky being the highway to heaven thing, it means the soul has gone to eternal paradise. Put that in your GPS!
I love this palette of winter drab, especially with a pop of color from the sky.
I brought you these.
Angel sculpture foot fetich is forming.
What I loved about this cemetery is its circular paths. That and it was the perfect size for the time I had left to explore. And if the sun should fall as I meandered about, it would be a safe cemetery to be within–easy to navigate, right smack dab next to a county road and no towering walls. Let’s just say I have experienced sheer terror of my own doing in my solo travels. Without a more rational being present, an enthusiastic and foolish me can get into trouble. Like when I hit Capitol Reef National Park in Utah for sunset and decided after on the very rugged scenic drive in my really economy rental car. I was in the dark winding round and round with towering formations all about. It seemed to never end and I was sure I was off the path. I felt like I was on Mars, all by myself and at some point I started to panic. Yadda, yadda, yadda–I was so freaked out that I didn’t even write about it in the blog post.
But yes, this feels very different.
So here she is, The Blue Lady at the Osgood family plot. Osgood was an old mayor of Norwich. The beautiful bronze woman in mourning was put there 130 years ago. Then in 2010, she was stolen! A local scrapyard had received four of the five bronze chunks she had ben cut into; they called the police after news of the theft spread. The statue’s head was found in an abandoned building. WTF! (Source)
She returned restored and surrounded by a brand new fence in 2013. One of the thieves has a public facebook which I nosied up on.
If she could tell her story.
The days are getting longer. Still a lot of blue for my backdrop.
These were beautiful flapping in the wind in a thick stream of sunlight.
Another one up there. There goes the neighborhood.
Was it time to head back to the car? “No Yes”
I went the entire day without eating just so I could accomplish my four stops. Then I didn’t even stop for food on the way back to Brooklyn. I blame this amazing sunset I drove right into. Spectacular.
With my camera propped on my steering wheel, I got to capture it. The 95 never looked so good. No filter as they say.
After a day like this, to easily find a parking spot near my apartment is the icing on the cake. Here’s to the extension of cemetery season!