Bonaventure Cemetery
The Bonaventure Cemetery is considered to be the most haunted cemetery in Savannah,
Georgia - and maybe the entire United States. This historical site of the area is
graced with beauty and appeal. This popular cemetery was mentioned in the book (that
was made into a movie) called Midnight in the Garden
of Good and Evil. There is more than beauty and appeal in this particular
cemetery. There is also a wide array of spirits that seem to linger on the grounds.
In the early years of the land that now serves
as a cemetery there was an immense plantation home constructed there. This home
was owned by the well liked Josiah Tattnall, Jr. This man was known for the social
functions that he held at his estate and he was well liked among the citizens that
lived in the area. One night, the immense mansion caught fire. In today’s cemetery,
many individuals who have visited the area state that the dinner parties still seem
to occur. These individuals can hear the voices of people socializing, and having
a good time. While professional paranormal experts believe that this is simply a
an energy recorded in time, these occurrences still frighten the visitors of the
haunted cemetery.
If normal ghosts were not enough for this haunted cemetery, there seems to
be a pack of dogs that roam the grounds – only they are not living dogs, but ghost
dogs! This has been a frightening experience for many who have encountered
them! Many who have come close to these creatures state that they cannot actually
be seen, but that they are heard relatively well. It is not uncommon for growls
that are vicious in nature to be heard or even terrifying barks to be experienced.
Many have felt as if the spiritual dogs actually chase them through the cemetery
– though there is no physical evidence, they feel it and can hear the sounds of
running vicious dogs coming behind them!
There is one particular plot in this haunted
cemetery that pulls at the hearts of all who visit it. It is little
Gracie Watson’s grave. Little Gracie Watson was born in 1883, the only child
of her parents. Her father was manager of the Pulaski House, one of Savannah’s leading
hotels, where the beautiful and charming little girl was a favorite with the guests.
Two days before Easter, in April 1889, Gracie died of pneumonia at the age of six.
In 1890, when the rising sculptor, John Walz, moved to Savannah, he carved from
a photograph this life-sized, delicately detailed marble statue, which for almost
a century has captured the interest of all passersby. Little Gracie. In her perpetual
pose, the little girl with chubby cheeks and sharply-cut bangs sits beside a tree
trunk, clutching a flower. She wears a high neck frilly collar, a buttoned sailor
dress and spat boots. A plaque by her grave shares her poignant story.
It seems that some have experienced hearing the sounds of a female crying, and sense
a high level of sadness in the air around Gracie's gravesite.
Whether you believe in ghosts and spirits or not, Bonaventure is a lovely, serene
place to visit. If visiting in the Savannah area, mark this place on your calendar.
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