Oakland Cemetery

Last weekend I visited Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery. I love cemeteries. They are ever so peaceful, even when they are located in metropolitan areas or right next to a MARTA station. A few friends and I took a tour of the cemetery that focused on symbols throughout the cemetery. Unfortunately, I didn't listen very well and can't tell you much about the symbols but I am pretty sure about half the people on the tour were Dan Brown wannabes doing research for a debut novel.

Oakland can boast of some prominent residents:) Margaret Mead, author of Gone With the Wind is buried in Oakland, as well as golf legend Bobby Jones, famous for his Grand Slam sweep, winning all four golf tournaments of his era in the calendar year 1930. Oakland also has numerous sections, I didn't make it to all of them and need to go back but I loved the Jewish section and it was the first cemetery I have visited with its own confederate section.

I thought this was a really unique headstone with apparently a lot of symbolism since our tour group spent a lot of time there. The cross, the wreath, the open book, even looking up all means something and someday I will look into it further.

Here's the resting place of the great Bobby Jones. As you can see his grave is littered with golf balls and on top there are lots of tees and score cards.

A grave in the confederate section being swallowed by the trunk of a tree. I don't dare touch on what I personally think that might symbolize for confederate goals.

The Jewish section was a bit like a metropolitan skyline- the tombstones tend to be tall rather than wide and were so many different heights. I also like to find names I like in cemeteries. Since previous cemetery jaunts have provided with me names for female progeny I focused on male names. Do you think a non-Jewish person can name a son the first name Cohen? I really like that name.

I don't think this one needs much explanation.

After we ate at the ever-so-appropriately named restaurant- Six Feet Under.