Many people associate cemeteries with sadness and death, but they are also a living lesson in history. The gravestones have much to tell us about the people buried there. Look for grave orientation, pebbles on the gravestone and other clues to learn about the occupant's unique burial customs and attitudes toward death. Then look closely at the stones - tombstone symbols and icons may speak of an individual's beliefs in the afterlife, fraternal membership or occupation. The shape of the stones may represent trends in art and architecture, or provide a clue to the general age of an illegible marker. The carved inscriptions and arrangement of the graves relate the stories of families and their relationships. Cemeteries are a peaceful place full of the people who have created the world we now live in. Take a walk through the cemetery and see what you can learn. Who knows, maybe you'll even encounter a ghost from the past!

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