I visited the East Burying Ground yesterday in Charlotte, Vermont. You’ll never find it by that name in Google Maps, though. GM uses the aka name of Bradley Cemetery. Plus, if you’re heading south on Spear Street, it’ll stop about .25 miles before the actual destination! Ugh. If you’ve driven by the sign that introduces you to the cemetery, you’ve missed the entrance.
I turned around and drove back. The access road was steep and covered in wet leaves for it was a miserable rainy day. My car did not like that roadway and left its gashes in disgust. But, I digress…
Once at the top and still in my warm car, I looked straight ahead into a tangle of woods with no path in front of me. I looked to my right where a single tree stood. Woods behind it also had no path. There were no gravestones in sight. I looked to my left where there spaced trees and plenty of leaves and saw no headstones. I wondered if I were in the right place after all.
I turned my car around and continued peering out the passenger window trying to see anything that resembled a grave marker. And then I saw a tall stone. Once I saw that, others began to materialize before my eyes. It’s interesting what happens once eyes adjust.
“~ CHARLOTTE CEMETERY COMMISSION ~
The Charlotte Cemetery Commission is a volunteer organization comprised of dedicated supporters and led by three elected commissioners. Our main focus is the maintenance and conservation of our Town Cemeteries: the West Burying Ground (aka Barber Hill) on Greenbush Road, the East Burying Ground (on Spear Street), as well as a number of smaller family plots around town.
As Charlotters, we believe in the cultural and historical significance of these landmark graveyards and that our community is enriched by the lives and deeds of the people who settled here before us. In honor of those founding families, their foresight and hard work — we strive to maintain their stone monuments and their earthly remains which have been entrusted to our care.”-https://youtu.be/U9RUYqMN55M
