DelSo wrote a blog post called “Tea with My Dad” about a meeting that took place in Dublin, Ireland, at Deansgrange Cemetery, where he’s resided since 1984.
In response to a comment of mine, she asked, As a child, were you comfortable with the proximity of the cemetery? I know there are people who find them frightening, but I think they’re very peaceful – and so interesting.
The cemetery in question for me was Spring Forest Cemetery in Binghamton, NY. Yes, I was comfortable because it was quite open and lovely.
Shortcut
It was where we cut through to get to Ansco’s baseball field. I mean, we COULD have gone down to Elm Street and walked across, but 1) it would have been longer, and 2) what would have been the joy in walking on concrete?
We also used the cemetery paths for sledding. The northernmost part of the facility, as well as the adjacent Mygatt Street, was downhill from Prospect Street, past Cypress Street, before leveling off at Spring Forest Avenue.
As I showed in this post about Binghamton’s First Ward, especially the eastern half, the cemetery was a dominant feature of the neighborhood. I went past it when we walked friend Karen home on Mygatt Street, on my way to my grandma Williams’ house on Maple Street. My piano teacher, Mrs. Hamlin, also lived across from it, on Elm Street.
Only occasionally did we think of it as a place full of dead people. I knew my maternal grandmother’s maternal grandfather, Civil War veteran James Archer, was buried in the northeastern corner, as were his wife Harriet Bell Archer; his children Morgan Archer, Edward Archer (and his wife Elizabeth), and Lillian Archer Yates; his grandson Ernest Yates (and eventually Edward Yates). But except for Ed Yates, I didn’t know any of them. I DID know Ernie’s widow, Charlotte, their kids, and grandkids.