Cemetery Viewing...

Wednesday, June 24th, the nursing home was having a Prom for the residents.  They told us the week prior that we didn't need to come that day because of the Prom.  So, I searched my brain to find a way to get Papa out and about instead of the nursing home. 

Once, while visiting Mom, we talked about cemeteries being neat places. I reminded Papa that the cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky was full of neat headstones. He expressed interest in driving through it. I figured Wednesday would be a good day to do that. 

We had a perfectly delightful drive through the cemetery. When we got there I stopped at the office and picked up a little map that showed some of the highlights.  Then I told Papa, "I'm going to drive really slow and will stop anywhere you want to look at something. I can get out and read markers for you or we can walk out to some if you want. Your visit, you tell me what you want to see and when you want to stop."  He agreed and we started on our two hour drive of this beautiful old cemetery.

Our first stop was at a monument to William Goebel. He was the 34th Governor for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was assassinated, the only Governor in Kentucky to be assassinated. He was only 44 years old. There is a big monument to him and Papa wanted to see it.  He managed to get down the little bit of a hill and back up that hill. Scared me half-to-death. He is very unsteady on his feet. But he did it and was happy to be out and doing that kind of thing.

We continued our leisurely drive to Daniel Boone's grave. I asked Papa if he wanted to stop and walk down there.  He thought he would like to do that. This is a longer walk and there are steps with no railing, just a chain. Papa made it down. There were three different sets of people that viewed the grave site when we were there. Papa went into tour guide mode and shared his knowledge of Daniel Boone with each set.  Papa enjoyed the beautiful view of the Kentucky Capitol and the Kentucky River.  It was a nice stop but that would be the last time Papa wanted out of the car.

The other things that piqued our curiosity were signs for the Unborn Children's Monument.  The name alone did not make any sense to us. We followed the signs and it took us down a road on the hill below the cemetery. It felt like a maintenance road and somewhere I really should probably not be driving. It turns out this is still being developed. There is a path one can walk (if one can find the entrance) above. None of the signs we saw directed you to this path, only to this road below the site. When I got home I checked the internet and learned a little about this area of the cemetery. 

A lady had to have an abortion with her first baby. Not sure of her story for needing this abortion but the vague story indicated something happened that was not right and the abortion was necessary. She had a very difficult time dealing with her feelings after this experience. She eventually married and had two children but still had these buried feelings she had not dealt with. The answer came in organizing this portion of this cemetery.  There is a huge wall with the names of children who were born and did not live or were the result of abortions for whatever reason. This helps to give closer to those difficult feelings when this occurs.  On another trip it would be worthwhile to find the path and walk to this area of the cemetery.

We finished our tour and stopped to get Papa a chocolate shake for our ride home.  

Good visit.  Enjoyed checking dates on the headstones.  Today when we visited with Papa he was very happy with this particular outing.  I told him our next one will be to the Lexington Cemetery which I understand is just as full of neat things to see.