When in this old cemetery I try to stop by to visit Baby Rosalie White. She is one of five children from the White family buried here.
Rosalie’s grave has a headstone shaped like a baby carriage, a plaster cast ‘death mask’ of her face is the center piece.
In the mid 1800’s a death mask was common. There are several ruins of others around the area. What makes this unique is the baby carriage cover has protected the mask through all the years.
Taken in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, August 2023.
Note; there are several articles and photographs of this grave on this site. How could there not be.
Wow, that is really something. I’ve never seen a grave like that. Great shots. Makes my heart break a little bit for Baby Rosalie.
There’s a tradition here to bring small toys and stuffed animals to the grave site. This time flowers were planted. I much prefer small toys since it’s important to protect the death mask from the elements.
These old southern cemeteries are simply astounding—they reveal so much history through the monuments.
Yes, and they can be beautiful. Not in the traditional sense of rows and rows of headstones, rather family / organization plots of land with huge and or small works of art.