Ariel W.
Yelp
October is the perfect month to a post a tale of a haunted cemetery. As a lover of Gothic historic cemeteries, Bonaventure Cemetery was top on my list of places to visit during a recent trip to Savannah. The cemetery is located on a bluff of the Wilmington River, east of the city. It is on the site of the former Bonaventure Plantation, once owned by Colonel John Mullryne. The 600 acre plantation included a large house and a private cemetery.
On March 10, 1846, Commodore Josiah Tattnall III, sold the property to Peter Wiltberger. The 14.3 acre historic district part of the cemetery is from this time period. The cemetery was designed in a traditional Victorian style with curving pathways, trees, and grassy spaces. It was not uncommon for families to come to the cemetery and picnic and use it as a park. Located at plot H-44 is the Baldwin Angel.
Peter's son Major William H. Wiltberger, formed the Evergreen Cemetery Company on June 12, 1868. On July 7, 1907 the City of Savannah purchased the Evergreen Cemetery Company, making the cemetery public and changing the name to Bonaventure Cemetery. It is the fourth of the five cemeteries the city owns. The cemetery has now grown from the 60 acres the city purchased to 103 acres.
Bonaventure Cemetery became famous when a statue from the cemetery named Bird Girl was used for the cover of the 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. A scene in the book and the movie based on the book also takes place in the cemetery. After the statue attracted too many curiosity seekers it was removed from the cemetery and placed in a museum. Famous graves here include little six year old Gracie Watson who died of pneumonia and singer and song writer Johnny Mercer.
The Bonaventure Historical Society operates a visitor's center outside the cemetery and they offer free tours. Unfortunately due to Covid that was cancelled during my visit. The cemetery is still open every day from 8 to 5 for self tours. Make sure you plan on leaving promptly by 5. I lingered a little too long and found the gates being locked and I was on the wrong side. It made me think of the Haunted Mansion, "999 happy haunts here but there is room for 1,000". Aside from almost having to spend the night here I loved my visit, Bonaventure was a highlight of my visit to Savannah.