[Lost Possum]

I apologize if this subject is kind of morbid but it's something we all have to think about sometime. My family and I really don't care much for the modern cemeteries with short-cut, carpet-like lawns, severely trimmed bushes and trees and flat or identical size-restricted markers and even more restrictive rules.

We also don't like those that have buildings like funeral homes, maintenance or guard shacks on the premises. We want to have a sense of privacy and to be able to come and go and pay our respects at any time without being watched, followed or hassled.

We really miss the lush landscapes and atmosphere of the old cemeteries with a real personality and sense of place, even if some of them are a bit neglected and rough around the edges now. Ideally, it would be off the beaten path a bit, so visitors can mourn, think and reflect without the noise and distractions of nearby highways, businesses, etc.

Also, we're looking for a place that's large enough to not make you feel like your loved-one's tombstone is one of a few hardscrabble weeds awkwardly jutting up out the prairie floor. A place where the graves are not all jammed up tightly against one another.

For practical purposes; access to healthcare, etc., many of us live near larger towns and cities in central Oklahoma and though we don't mind traveling some to find the right place, it would be nice if, as we continue to age, we don't have to make frequent, long trips to visit and maintain the gravesites of those who have passed before us.

I'm pretty sure what we're looking for is still out there, somewhere, though I'm thinking we may have to compromise a bit on our list of wants. I'm hoping y'all will be able to recommend some nice, quiet old cemeteries that match most of our criteria.

Thank you for anything you can tell me.

Bob

[StillwaterTownie]

The little Mt. Vernon Cemetery, located between Glencoe and Yale.

[Lost Possum]

Hi Stillwater Townie,

I think this might turn out to be just what we're looking for.

I'd noticed that it showed up in some searches I did but didn't realize how centrally located it really is till you mentioned it and I checked it out on a map.

Of course, the only way to know for sure is to go see it, which I'll be doing - ASAP.

Thank you for your help.

We'd like to have a few to compare. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[Lost Possum]

I can't seem to find any pictures of Mt. Vernon Cemetery online. Can anyone recommend a good source?

[Rubi3]

When my father died, a woman at the funeral home knew of an old cemetery a few miles out of town and it was arranged the have him buried there. A plot was also reserved for my mother who died 3 years later. It was an ideal place and I think there are probably many in the state. I see small cemetery signs often when traveling somewhere in the state and have seen that sign near Yale.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by Lost Possum

I can't seem to find any pictures of Mt. Vernon Cemetery online. Can anyone recommend a good source?

Yes: Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

[Lost Possum]

Hi Rubi3,

Yes, I agree that there are many examples of what I'm looking out there. Also, while there is an overcrowding problem generally, some of the smaller cemeteries can be, as you observed, accommodating on short notice. I think for us, it's just a matter of tracking the right place down.

Thanks for your insights.

[Lost Possum]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

Yes: Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

Thank you, StillwaterTownie.

Based on the picture, the Mt. Vernon Cemetery is smaller and less developed, in terms of landscaping, than what we're looking for. Of course, that may be because the picture only takes in a small portion of the cemetery.

To give you an general example of what we're looking for in a cemetery, the link below is for one that we really like but is just farther away from central Oklahoma than we prefer. Still, it may serve to give a better sense of what we're looking for, though the picture doesn't really do the place justice regarding its size.

Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

[Lost Possum]

Here are another couple of examples, from a list we're considering.

Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

The first one is preferable for it's absence of large buildings on the premises and less restricted access. While we do like trees around the perimeter we like that the first one seems to have more large trees within the cemetery, itself, rather than just around the perimeter. Of course, here again, we'll need to actually go visit these places to make a decision cause the pictures may not give a full sense of their attributes.

[prerunner1982]

Here are some of my pictures of Mt Vernon. The Hart Cemetery is just around the corner and is also quaint. I will post a few pictures of it as well.

Mt. Vernon cemetery:


Foundation of a building that once occupied the cemetery grounds.





Hart Cemetery: