Stones and Bones of New England: A Guide to Unusual, Historic, and Otherwise Notable Cemeteries

Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit. Some are the final resting places of famous authors, soldiers, and statesmen, while others are more notable for their intricate headstones and memorable epitaphs. All have their own unique characteristics and stories to tell.

In Stones and Bones of New England, author Lisa Rogak tells the tales of nearly one hundred of the most intriguing burial grounds in all seven New England states. Included are:

*Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where elaborately carved sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses can be found next to engravings of an oil truck and a soccer ball

*Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notoriously haunted old Quaker burying ground that is still in use

*Common Burying Ground in Newport, Rhode Island, which contains the graves of African Americans (both free and slave) from Newport's colonial trade days

*Milford Cemetery in Milford, Connecticut, where Mary Fowler's tombstone bears the epitaph, "How soon she's ripe how soon she's rotten / Sent to her grave and soon forgotten."

This highly readable guide also provides all the tools you need to explore on your own, with location information and glossaries that demystify the meaning behind hundreds of commonly carved symbols and headstone abbreviations. Insightful commentaries and interesting facts about funeral customs and traditions make this an engaging resource for casual visitors and ardent taphophiles alike.

A spirited guide to burial grounds worth visiting in all six New England states.

Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit. Some are the final resting places of famous authors, soldiers, and statesmen, while others are more notable for their intricate headstones and memorable epitaphs. All have their own unique characteristics and stories to tell.

In Stones and Bones of New England, author Lisa Rogak tells the tales of nearly one hundred of the most intriguing burial grounds in all seven New England states. Included are:

*Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where elaborately carved sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses can be found next to engravings of an oil truck and a soccer ball

*Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notoriously haunted old Quaker burying ground that is still in use

*Common Burying Ground in Newport, Rhode Island, which contains the graves of African Americans (both free and slave) from Newport's colonial trade days

*Milford Cemetery in Milford, Connecticut, where Mary Fowler's tombstone bears the epitaph, "How soon she's ripe how soon she's rotten / Sent to her grave and soon forgotten."

This highly readable guide also provides all the tools you need to explore on your own, with location information and glossaries that demystify the meaning behind hundreds of commonly carved symbols and headstone abbreviations. Insightful commentaries and interesting facts about funeral customs and traditions make this an engaging resource for casual visitors and ardent taphophiles alike.

Lisa Rogak is the author of more than twenty nonfiction books on cooking, travel, careers, country living, and other topics. She also runs a unique business selling antique funeral memorabilia on the Internet. She lives in Grafton, New Hampshire.