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Student Blogs: Savannah, GA – History, Ecology, Education, and Fantastic Food!
entry 4
Bonaventure Cemetery
by
Stephanie Riddle of
Faith, N.C.
Monday, January 19, 2009 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
9:30–10:30am - The morning adventure of our day
The historical Bonaventure Cemetery was so interesting and so much fun. Once on the site of a plantation, it was converted to an official public cemetery in the 1850's. Before our Savannah arrival, we had read the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and watched the movie on the bus during our drive to Savannah. The book and movie explained the death of Jim Williams, a previous owner of the Mercer House in Savannah.
 At Bonaventure Cemetery, we were able to see the gravesite and resting bench for Johnny Mercer, famed musician and composer, for whom the Savannah house is named. We also saw the statue of Little Gracie, a 6 year old girl who died of pneumonia two days before Easter in 1889. The girl was so loved that a young sculptor made a statue of her in great detail. It is one of Bonaventure's most visited gravesites. Because it was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and President-Elect Obama asked for everyone to do a service project on this day; we went in groups of four or five collecting trash around the cemetery and re-setting floral arrangements on gravesites. It was a gorgeous day outside and after the cemetery, we went to Tybee beach for a marine science excursion!
 PHOTOS: Teaching Scholars in Savannah, GA
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