u/Mysterious-League876

When Belle Hightower died in 1932 her grave was adorned with a unique and oddly proportioned angel headstone. Some say nah, odd doesn’t cut it and it was downright ugly. Other than that it seemed fairly innocuous and not at all spooky. That is until the ghost stories started to reach the ears of paranormal investigators.

Decades later the October 1999 Ghost Trackers Newsletter featured a story – Lee Holloway’s “Encounters at Evergreen Cemetery.” Holloway, a regular investigator and columnist focused on the paranormal scene in Florida, wrote about hauntings at Evergreen and coined the title ‘ugly angel’ for Belle’s gravestone. Supposedly, there were several mourners visiting the cemetery that were comforted by an apparition of a woman that appeared near the ‘ugly angel.’ No word on whether it was confirmed as Belle Hightower returning from ‘beyond’ but her grave appeared to be the epicenter for the spiritual experiences!

More photos in comments.

https://southerncemetery.com/2026/01/30/evergreen-cemetery-in-jacksonville-fl/

The (possible) grave of Alice Flagg is considered the most haunted site in South Carolina. Although it appears that the church that owns the graveyard may disagree with the idea of another ‘ghost’ out there in the world…

It’s a story that you’ve probably heard before – rich girl falls in love with poor boy, family says ‘no way in hell’ – couple is separated – girl dies, becomes a ghost and mourns boy for eternity. This one adds even more sadness as it’s said that as Alice lay dying she asked for the return of the token her beloved had given her so she might taken comfort in holding it again. Just a simple ring tied with ribbon that she had once worn upon her neck. And her family threw it in the brackish river instead.

It’s said that Alice is still looking for her lost love and the ring she was once denied, and if you bring her a gift to ease her heartbreak then she just might grant you a wish or appear before you. I heard that you had to circle her grave 3 times before making the wish and it’s obvious that I’m not the only one who was told that specific detail because there’s a distinctive groove worn down in the dirt around the stone. And look at the treasure trove of gifts!

The church isn't necessarily pleased with all this 'ghost' business. Hence the sign that welcomes you when you step into the cemetery.

https://southerncemetery.com/2025/10/17/unusual-cemetery-tales-from-around-the-south/

In an area known for red clay and rivers/swamps the color of sweet tea, many may ask why white sand and where did it come from? The answers might vary but it’s most certainly a dying Southern tradition except for dwindling locales such as these.

One answer to the white sand why is that it’s all about the look. Simple enough! It’s a striking image and any flowers left during Decoration Days or visits really stand out against the sand.

Another is that it keeps grass and weeds down, and can be raked and adjusted easily since it doesn’t readily wash away.

[Personal note: I remember going to my Great-Grandmother’s house and she swept her front yard down to the dirt. While she didn’t have white sand, it was definitely a trend to keep your yard free of weeds and grass, and then have flowers in containers. Her choice? Old tires painted bright colors.]

Another reason for sand? It was a sign of love and dedication. At time when transportation was much more limited, you had to haul this sand by carrying it yourself, with wagons or, later, with trucks and then spread it all by hand. It was a lot of work and showed the amount of care that the community had for those resting there.

Fence info: looks handmade to me. Plaques read: (L) In memory of RG Dickerson 1924 & (R) Erected 1937 by [list of names all from the Dickerson family - RG, JB, FM & WC]

https://southerncemetery.com/2026/04/02/arabia-white-sand-cemetery-near-homerville-ga/

It’s a bit hard to see under all the lichen but there’s a map there! Mary Irving died in 1828 from a snakebite and this map shows a very vague area of where the sneaky serpent sunk its fangs into Mary. More photos in comments.

https://southerncemetery.com/2025/04/30/featured-finds-unique-epitaphs-in-georgia/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYfauRAJdvh/?igsh=MWhoamE1eTB5eHJxYQ==

During a recent visit one of the local historian guides said Kemp lost his leg due to train hopping and the leg was buried with full Masonic honors.

Marietta City Cemetery

Hi all. I love horror books, I want to help support Hendershot's and I want to offer a book club experience that is totally flexible. Read In Peace is a 'pick your poison' kind of thing - you can mingle and then read silently nearby, chat with a group the whole time or just pop back and forth. It's whatever you prefer!

This month RIP is kicking off with some Gothic Horror from T. Kingfisher What Moves The Dead. A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, themes include: sci-fi elements, mental health, sentient fungi, isolation in crumbling manors and more.

Everyone who attends gets to pick a tiny (faux and non-sentient) mushroom to call their own.

There are 30+ open copies in PINES so if you request now you can have it with a few days to spare, maybe? I know B&N has a few copies and am going to check with Rec Room and a few other spots today. I'll update if they have any!

Hope you can stop by. It's 5:30-6:30 on Wednesday May 20th. Please note that it is the very first meeting so I'm still figuring out how things will vibe but I truly hope it'll be fun as hell...

And if this isn't your thing then there are LOTS of wonderful book clubs out there. I can help direct you to one that you might like. :) As a former librarian, I love to encourage reading (and to jump in the debate, yes, audiobooks count as reading) in whatever way works for you.

https://www.instagram.com/ripbookclubathens/