The strange procession which never moves; or, I see dead people

After leaving Springfield, Illinois I continued to head south to Paducah, Kentucky to visit my sister. First on the agenda was the National Quilt Museum, which does not allow photographs, and what a shame that is. I've never really understood that policy, as anyone who shoots without a tripod and the right lighting can't possibly make a publication-worthy image, but it's their ball game so you just have to go along with it. Still, it's a good museum and you don't have to be a quilter to appreciate the exhibits here; they're works of art in their own right.

My sister also took me to Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, home to the Wooldridge Monuments. Cemetery fan that I am, it's amazing that I've never heard of these. The statues were built for Colonel Henry G. Wooldridge to commemorate family members and other loved ones of his life.

There's Henry, standing taller than the rest of the family, sculpted from Italian marble. He's the only one buried here. A fox, a deer, and two chasing hounds are included.

Other family members were sculpted in limestone by artisans from Paducah and Mayfield. The female statues represent Wooldridge's mother Keziah, his sisters Minerva, Narcissa, and Susan, and his nieces Maud and Minnie. The male statues that are not of Wooldridge are of his brothers Alfred, John, Josiah, and W.H.

 Henry again, on his horse Fop.

 His mother, Keziah.

Henry on Fop, with one of his two hunting dogs, either Towhead or Bob. I keep running into that name.

One of his nieces, Maud. The scroll bears the letters H.G.W.

 Nice detail on the hair, Pinterest-worthy.

The Wooldridge Monuments were placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1980. The nomination form is interesting because it gives lots of detail about the individual figures. It's a PDF document that you may have to download before it will open.

The gates to the cemetery are also on the National Register. One of the many lists of places I wanted to see when I had to leave my house in March was everything on the National Register of Historic Places and I have found them all over the place. 

The gates are only part of the National Register items. The monuments are actually three pairs of gateposts. When closed the main pair's gate says "The United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial." I tried to close them but thought they'd fall off the posts so I left them alone. Can you imagine having to explain how and why you broke something on the National Register?

This pair of posts which supports the gates are the only ones to bear bronze plaques.The post on the left honors veterans of the World War, and the one on the right Confederate veterans.

We made a few more tourist stops in and around Paducah, and I headed east-ish to Louisville to see my brother. Much nicer to have the sibs near you in the land of the living, not carved in stone.

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Thought of the day:
Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. (George Burns)