“The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison.” Nathaniel Hawthorne
Although I’m sure that this cemetery’s original purpose was much different, it has become among other things, the final resting place for prisoners who die in Maricopa County and have no one to claim them. If you could see beyond the distant line of trees, you would see Perryville Prison.
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In the oldest section of the cemetery, there are some personal markers. But for the most part only small round plaques with a name and date mark the gravesites.
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And although it looks empty, believe me there are hundreds and hundreds of the small round plaques.
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Somehow, this is the saddest cemetery I have ever visited.
7 comments:
Wow, I didn't even know this existed. You are so right, it is a very sad place. I guess I would never call cemetaries cheeful, but when see the headstones and the flowers and momentos placed here and there, it certainly gives a more loving feeling than this place.
a rather chilling place...barren, but plaques with names...you had me at the title...
I've never seen a cemetery like that. It is sad to realize that so many people die in prison with no one to claim them. Great post!
I can't help but think how sad it would be to die here
You are right--it is very sad to think that no one would be there for you----forever. MB
It truly is forlorn.
thanks for the comment tonight...so true...recently went through some really tough times so it was more about that than where i currently am...our minds can twist things around rather easy and once it slips in our hearts its sometimes hard to get out...doing much better now though..
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