graves, graves, more graves

Nothing says "Spring Break" like visiting graveyards !

Or, so thinks my husband.

We spent yesterday traveling all over the area, and out of the area, hunting down cool graveyards with famous an fascinating people in them.

First stop: Troy, NY

This graveyard was the most beautiful and expansive graveyard I have ever seen. It is abundantly clear that Troy had lots of money in it during the industrial revolution. There were miles and miles of beautiful graves, sarcophagi, and private chapels. I loved that there were not only old graves, but people are still being buried there. There was a funeral going on in the main chapel while we were there!


The reason we went to this beautiful graveyard was to see General George A. Thomas. For those of you who don't know who he is, let me inform you because my husband made me read the plaque attached to his grave. He was basically the best general the Union had in the Civil War (he never lost a battle!) Although he was a Virgina native, he chose to fight with the Union and this cost him his extended family who never spoke to him again. He is known as "The Rock of Chickamauga" and Nathan tells me that the only reason he is not as famous as Grant and Sherman is because he died too quickly after the war to write his memoirs.


Oh yeah, Uncle Sam is buried there too.

Second Stop: Bennington, VT

We'd been here before for Bennington Battle reenactments, but this time was just a quick trip to see Robert Frost's grave. Nathan has been on a Robert Frost kick since reading a biography and participating in a book discussion with the world's best English Teacher, Michael Dwyer.


The best thing about his grave is the quote that is on it, none of the too-well-known poems that even Robert Frost was sick of by the end of his life. The quote reads, "I had a lover's quarrel with the world." After learning about his life through Nathan, this seems to be true.

Third Stop: Stratton Mountain, VT

So, our GPS told us to take this road to get to Stratton Mountain. We passed a sign at the beginning of the road, warning us to turn back because the road is not maintained in the winter. We thought, "How bad can the road be? It's April and 60 degrees out; we'll take our chances." After almost getting stuck on the top of a snow-covered mountain, wandering around dirt roads, and asking a mean local for directions, we finally found the right cemetery and the right grave, Robert Penn Warren. The local man was actually angry with us for not heading the warning.

Fourth Stop: Manchester, VT

Just because Nathan wanted to shop the outlets for flip-flops. We were really tired by then and wanted to get home.

Last Stop: Home

Phew!