To start with, I had a hard time even coming up with a title. ‘Poking Around Crypts’ was my initial thought but I wanted to keep a semblance of professionalism.

When walking around the back side of this old cemetery I usually visit the crypts.

Some mausoleums are behind locked gates or solid doors. Which I personally think is a good idea.

The above entrance is not all that inviting and likely keeps a large number of door to door salesman away.

Looking in at the residents you will find that a large number Charleston streets and landmarks are named for them. That’s something I find fascinating. Charleston has a history that is fairly easy to discover. While it is an old city the small southern charm and sense of family is spread throughout downtown. Try figuring that out in NYC.

I mentioned above the idea of the crypts having locks, doors. Not all here do. Above is an example of an open building…from inside.

The marker is worn and hard to read. The bricks are cracked, and just to add ‘character’ huge cob webs hang from the ceiling. I myself think that’s as much a deterrent as a gate. Creepy stuff rubbing on your head.

However, here a gate is not really needed. The crack tiles and empty floor bolts tell the story of an long empty mausoleum.

This is an old cemetery with minimal maintenance, full of history and respect. There is no vandalism. The only damage is by time.