Ah, Oakland. We meet again. And there’s always something new to find when I visit. I did a post about this iconic Atlanta spot back in December but the last time I was there I took so many pictures that I feel like I’m ready for another feature on the blog…
Angels everywhere. So. Many. Angels. I Suwannee that Oakland has a higher percentage of angel motifs, features, etc, than any other cemetery in memory. I’m not complaining!
This isn’t a headstone but rather an accent piece in the plot of a former Atlanta politician. It came from the old Atlanta Terminal Station that opened in 1905 and was destroyed in 1972. Some of the most famous US trains came through the station in its heyday – Crescent, Man o’ War, Nancy Hanks, Ponce de Leon, and Silver Comet. Aren’t those names something? And now this sculpture is in another iconic landmark but I think this time it won’t be moved for a very long time.
They still hold burials and internments at Oakland, and these bronze sculptures are one of the more recent contributions. It’s called The Never Ending Card Game and you have peek into the Harris mausoleum to see it. Donald died in 2017 and Susan in 2022 but they’re forever enjoying what they loved most at the very table, dipped in bronze to match the rest sculpture, from their home.
This marks the grave of a young man with a lot of differing interests and a deep love for music. Seeing this brought back memories of my boyfriends/girlfriends/friends making ‘mixed tapes’ for me and how much it meant. I think it’s both sweet and heartbreaking that his family made him this final eternal ‘mixed tape’ to honor him.
If the name Bobby Jones means anything to you then you just might be a golfer. Jones was co-creator of the Master’s Tournament and one of the, if not the, most influential golfers to ever wield a club. To this day, more than 50 years after his death, Jones has legions of fans that visit him and leave a token. Oh, and they said at the cemetery that every half year or so they have to clear all of them out so they can make room for new batches and to properly clean the grave…
Last entry for this post is yet another icon but this one is a musician – Kenny Rogers.
Rogers lived outside of Athens, Ga for quite a long time (fun fact: his big ol’ estate abutted part of my cousin’s property and they often saw Rogers out and about) but eventually moved to Atlanta to be closer to his medical team. He died in 2020. If you look in the bottom left of the first photo. you’ll see a flicker candle and a glass of wine someone left for him.
And if you’ve never heard/seen him sing Island in the Stream then here you go. Peep Dolly’s outfit in this one too! UHMAYZING.
Just a reminder that Oakland has a ton of tours and there’s one almost every single day. See the full calendar here and I highly recommend the upcoming Juneteenth tour as well Fifty Ways to Die.
