Bethany Cemetery, Charleston SC

I spent the last week & a half in South Carolina with the spawn and her dance team for Nationals (I'll start having posts up about the week of dance over at Tales From the Love Shaque soon).  

We flew into SC on Sunday, and the competition didn't start until Tuesday.  I planned it that way!  I dropped Miss Angela off at the hotel pool Monday and I hopped in the rental car and went to check out some cemeteries.  

I had seen pictures from Magnolia Cemetery, so that was my ultimate destination.  Little did I know that there were multiple cemeteries in that area!  This is one of the few times I didn't look at a map first, just typed the address into Google Maps on my phone and went where it told me.  So I'm driving up Cunningham St - and I'm staring at the most gorgeous cemetery I'd ever seen.  It was spectacular and I just assumed it was Magnolia.  So imagine my surprise when I got to the gate and saw it was called Bethany Cemetery!  I didn't hesitate in the slightest, just pulled in.  I couldn't pass it up!   

And I'll note that all of these photos are completely un-edited.  You'll be able to tell, but they're not too horrible.  Forgive my laziness!

 

 From inside the gate looking across at one or maybe two of the smaller cemeteries across the street. 

All of the family plots were surrounded by either a stone outline, or an elaborate fence.  Everything was extremely well-taken care of and most of the plots were noted as "perpetual care".   The only other people I saw there were 2 grounds-men, mowing the lawn. 

 

 

 I can forgive the fallen urn - this was the old section of the cemetery, so who knows how many hurricanes it's gone thru?

Statue and the base of it. 

 I loved the palms!

 

 

This is one of my favorites. 

 

 The Hockemeyers had to be different!

 As a former sailor myself, I know this guy got a lot of crap for his name!

 Someone was busy - the sand was thrown for a good distance from this hole. 

 

 How sad. 

 

 

 I was amazed at this new flag on the grave of someone who'd passed in 1904!

I didn't do any research on any of these graves.  Shame on me!  I'm sure there are some fascinating / famous people here.  

These trees, tho!

Same tree as above - this giant limb came within scant inches from that stone!

 Another angle. 

 I thought the Coors can was a nice touch. 

I believe these are crepe myrtles (we don't have them in Michigan) but they're gorgeous draped in Spanish moss!

 Obviously a well-loved fireman!

 I'd never seen a bed.  I've been trying to figure out what it says, but my very rusty high school German is stuck beyond "here rests our......" and I can't read the rest to use Translate. 

The Charleston International Airport is also used by the Air Force, so I got buzzed by fighter jets and huge cargo planes.  

Pretty awesome, actually!

 These carvings were stunning!

 This old chapel is now the cemetery office. 

 This random little stone and flag were right next to the receiving vault. 

This tree was WOW.  Mere photos cannot do it justice.  It was enormous!

I was walking by this plot when I heard a rustle in the leaves.....

I'd forgotten about the size of southern roaches!  I couldn't get a clear pic, tho.

I enjoyed the several hours I spent wandering around here - totally worth melting in the mid-day heat & humidity that I'm not used to!