Charleston's Historic Cemeteries

Images of America: South Carolina

by Frank Karpiel, Harlan Greene (Foreward)

When Charleston’s founders moved their settlement across the Ashley River to the peninsula in 1680, they hoped for protection from pirate and Native American attacks, as well as increased trade and healthier living conditions. Their first three wishes came true, but not the final one. Life in colonial Charles Towne was dangerous—epidemic diseases, primitive medical practices, and a harsh environment led to the early demise of rich and poor alike. The graveyards of churches and public burial grounds quickly filled. Today, Charleston’s historic cemeteries are almost as common a sight downtown as the churches that define the city. These tree-shrouded glades invite tourists and residents to explore the resting places of Charleston’s most illustrious and interesting personalities. Charleston’s Historic Cemeteries offers a guided pictorial tour of the elaborate gravestones and elegant inscriptions dedicated to the famous and infamous, including William Rhett and his adversary, the pirate Stede Bonnet. With dozens of illustrated stories about the transformation of funerals, tombstones, and mourning customs in America during the past 300 years, the book details how Charleston became the home of a historically unique, city-wide gallery of mortuary sculpture.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2013

Reviews

[Traci Rylands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having had a the pleasure of wandering through several of the cemeteries Frank writes about in this book, I can tell you he knows what he's talking about. This is a well-written guide to what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming world to a Charleston cemetery newcomer, combined with an enthusiasm for the subject that makes you want to keep reading. A lot of cemetery guides can be difficult to read but this one is not, with plenty of stories about not only the people buried in these cemeteries but the lives of the carvers who artfully inscribed their stones. If you're a taphophile (cemetery lover), this is one you won't want to miss.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the historic cemeteries / churches / monuments of Charleston, SC. Besides surviving the Civil War, many of these entities have survived hurricanes, as well as the great earthquake of 1886. They truly are a test of time.

One thing that shocked me was the distinct division of class within African American Society in Charleston. This is reflected by the existence of the Society of Free Dark Men of Color, formed in 1843 by Thomas Smalls and several other men who had been rejected for membership by the lighter-skinned Brown Fellowship Society. The MacPhelah cemetery, or the Mampela Burial Society graveyard, was purchased by Smalls for members of his society. MacPhelah existed for several decades before 1843 and was located adjacent to the Brown Fellowship Society cemetery on Pitt Street. By 2000, the land was transferred to the College of Charleston for the construction of a new library, courtyard, and parking lot. A marker memorializing those buried there has been erected by the college.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a city as old as Charleston, a trip through a graveyard could be the most fascinating part of your trip. This is a nice, easily transported book - if you wanted to, you could easily carry it along as you walk around town. It can be your own personal tour guide.

[Sarah Bootle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book to read prior to, or while exploring our cemeteries and graveyards here in Charleston.