The 10 Strangest Gravestones in the USA

As I mentioned in a travel blog post, I often visit a cemetery for quiet contemplation. It is a great way to feel in the moment, surround myself with nature, and find a sense of peace while reminding myself that we are all on borrowed time (so I had better get my writing goals done).

Visiting gravestones while traveling is also one of my favorite things to do and I am always inspired by the stories, architecture, and the serenity that I find. Occasionally, I find unusual moments to the dearly departed whether in my travels or while exploring the mass grave of the internet.

From odd inscriptions to peculiar memorials, here are 10 of the strangest gravestones in the USA:

The Grave in the Middle of the Road

Located at 6844 E. 400 South, west of County Road 700 East in Franklin, Indiana, the grave of Nancy Kerlin Barnett is smack dab in the middle of a road. Why? In 1831, right before Nancy died, she wanted to be buried on a hill that overlooked Sugar Creek.

And so, she was. However, in 1905, Johnson County wanted to build a road directly cut through her grave. This would have been the end of the story, and Barnett’s burial site would have been relocated, but her grandson took out a shotgun and refused to back down.

It worked. The grave is now outfitted with a plaque and an inbound and outbound road on either side.

Victim of the Beast 666

The grave of Lilly E. Gray is one that I find quite sad, due to the exaggerated nature in which this headstone often makes these kinds of lists. In Salt Lake City, Utah, nestled in a 120-acre cemetery lies Lilly’s grave. Her story usually ends here, with people coming up with tales of witchcraft or the occult, a conclusion led by the strange inscription.

However, the truth likely lies from the person who ordered the gravestone – her husband, Elmer Lewis Article. Words on Stone does a good wrap-up of the Grave of the Beast story, but in short – it is likely that her husband, suffering from delusions and paranoia, led to members of the community who may have mistaken mental illness for devil worship led to these damning words. Lilly died in a hospital, from renal failure and pulmonary embolus, and her death was caused not by the Devil, but by circumstance.

The Parking Meter Headstone

If you can believe it, this is the second parking meter headstone I’ve come across. The first is the tombstone for Gordy Burdick, who passed in 2003. This one is a lone parking meter that is set to “expired.” There are no good photos so I have not linked it here, however, you can see what it looks like over at Roadside America.

The second is the grave of Barbara Sue Manire, who was born in 1941 and passed in 2005. The grave is housed in Okemah, Oklahoma, and was a request by Barbara herself who also “wanted to be on the front row of the cemetery so she could see what was going on.” The family gave her exactly what she wanted with this tongue-in-cheek headstone.

Noami Miller-Dawson’s Cookie Recipe  

This gravestone is as sweet as it is serene. Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson's headstone, located in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery holds her beloved spritz cookie recipe. While this is not the first recipe grave, it has been made famous by TikTok influencers copying the recipe for audiences.

I find something quite beautiful about these interactive users because it is a way for the departed to continue sharing their legacy with the living.

Grave of Carrie Frances Kiene  

While this grave is somber in its appearance, as all children's graves are, especially those whose final resting places resemble their waking lives, this one is particularly unsettling. This is not necessarily about what it looks like, but why it looks that way.

Carrie Frances Kiene perished in 1885 at just five years old and later found her permanent home at Mount Hope CEmtery where her parents erected a statue of her. However, what is most interesting is that starting in the 1990s, someone, or perhaps a group of people, has been dressing the statue in seasonally appropriate clothing. In the summer, she often adorns sunhats, and, in the winter, you can see her with scarves or knit caps.

One must wonder if has become tradition or if, due to the work of one person, Carrie’s clothes will eventually be no more, when that person, who felt the need to keep her spirit alive, finally passes themselves.

The Wild Witch of Yazoo  

This is certainly a weird one. The witch, according to the town of Yazoo, Mississippi, was an actual witch who died on May 25th, 1884. Legend has it that the witch, who is still nameless, would lure men to the river, torture them, and kill them. When she fled from the town’s sheriff, they found her just in time to be sinking into quicksand, cursing the town.

Twenty years later to the day, the town did burn. 

Now the broken gravestone is surrounded by a chain link fence, which, by the looks of the photos of the area, I am not sure that this would do anything to hold a powerful “witch” in, but you do you Mississippi.

Like many historical witch tales, I can’t help but wonder if this is a case of a woman trying to protect herself against the men who harmed her. And if she did curse the town because of revenge against the actual oppressors well then – good for her.

Mt. Nebo Death Masks  

Within Mt. Nebo Cemetery, located in Clarke County, Alabama is a series of intriguing and unique memorials outfitted with death masks resembling those that are buried in each grave. These masks were created by Isaac Nettles, a local inventor in the late 1800s.

The masks were made by using. Impressions of the person’s face in mud and then using that cast for a plaster of Paris model. Among the most famous of these is the triple monument that features Nettles’ wife and daughters, who are not currently buried there. Since this is a piece of folk art, and to prevent vandalism, you just cannot the historical museum directly to view the pieces.

Davis Memorial Statues

John and Sarah Davis were small farmers who have certainly reached fame in death. At the Mount Hope Cemetery in Hiawatha, Kansas you will find the noticeable stone canopy that surrounds the Davis Memorial burial site.

When you look closer still, you will see the statues. Created by John to honor his wife Sarah, who died in 1930. His work began after removing her basic headstone, which was originally present, and replacing that with the 100k+ granite awning. Over the next ten years, John had many granite and marble statues built, including figures of Sarah as a young woman, as an angel, and as shown, even joining her in a simple snapshot of a quiet, humble life.

The Stairwell Grave of Florence Irene Ford

I have visited this grave in Natchez, Mississippi a few times when traveling I lived in Pensacola and would travel to my hometown of Houston. After dying of yellow fever in 1871, Florence Irene Ford was buried in a casket that had glass outfitted with a window at Florence’s head. There were also small steps so that you could go down into the grave and a metal trap door at the top.

Why? Because Florence was terribly afraid of storms and thus, this allowed her mother a way to comfort her when it rained. It is a very tight squeeze and if you are looking for something macabre – think again. Age and time have eroded most of the steps and the window has long since been replaced with additional concrete in the 1950s (likely to deter vandalism). Still though, sitting in it has always offered me a sense of peace and comfort. If you go, be sure to leave a toy in honor of Florence.

That’s All Folks

What better grave to close out our list than the grave of the man who gave life to Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and some of the other beloved Looney Tunes? Mel Blanc’s headstone reads his iconic line, “That’s all folks” which offers a great way to remember the star but is also fun in its tongue-in-cheek nature.  

While simple, it is a reminder that, no matter how lively and impactful we have in this life, we all have our inevitable end.

Finding Inspiration in the Finality of Life

Each of these gravestones, not only offers a glimpse into human grief and those who carried their memory alone, but they also speak of the connection between the past and the inquisitive minds of the present.

Writing is such a powerful way to boost your mental health and taking a walk through a serene, quiet place like a graveyard is one way to foster creative motivation. While you are there, maybe bring some flowers, pick up trash, or beautify the place – I’m sure the permanent residents will thank you.

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