About 35 minutes from Athens, Georgia you’ll find the smallbutgrowing town of Winder. It was once famous for being a vital railway hub between Athens and Atlanta, and for its many grist mills, but it’s now known more for the outdoor adventures at Fort Yargo State Park. It has a bustling downtown (seriously, where the hell is all the traffic coming from around here?) and one of the better thrift stores in the whole area.
My Mom lived there for years before finally moving away and I made the trek over to Winder more times than I can count but I still love to visit from time-to-time. Especially since the city announced plans in 2023 to revitalize the cemetery and connect it with an upcoming city trail system.
That hasn’t happened as of yet but I’m hoping they’ll have that soon. This cemetery has zero shade/trees but it does have a lot of charming gravestones that make up for that…
This particular family was involved in grist mill operations from days of old. Hence the grist stone on their family monument.
Ever seen a grist mill stone in action? Here’s a video of one that’s still being used today.
This is a wild card mix of grave goods! A weathered elephant rests rump up on a grave that was covered with lots of like themed items. An ancient seashell. A bulldog (or around here, DAWG) sits next to freshly painted rock bearing the final numbers from the recent UGA vs Georgia Tech game. I always love to see the dead remembered so fondly with these types of tokens and actions. So sweet. (Unless that person buried was a Tech fan and then some UGA folk will be getting the haunting of a lifetime!)
I saw the lamb first and laughed a bit because those eyes are something else but then I read the inscription and my heart broke a little…
How much of light
How much of day
Is buried with a
Darling boy.
Eight year old Hattie-Lou Stanton died in 1900 and she’s depicted here – leaning on a gravestone (gravestone inception, as I like to call it) and wearing a dress with leg-o-mutton sleeves.
I’ve become hyper-focused on images like this as of late thanks in part to new-to-me books that feature New England gravestones. Fascinating stuff!
And lastly, but also firstly, this grave is one my favorite very early finds from this particular cemetery. These styles are called a shell baby or baby on the half shell, and they are almost always associated with the burial of a child.
The shell symbolizes resurrection and rebirth, and the child is symbolic of the treasure found within aka the pearl.
Sidequests
If you’d like to see more what Winder has to offer then might I suggest:
Fort Yargo State Park for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. It’s just down the road from the cemetery. And while this is more of the gentle and lower elevation green landscape of this part of Georgia, there are some hills to be had! A variety of hikes, some historic tours, mini golf, biking, a lake with good bird watching, paddling, yurts right on the water and more.
There’s the newly developed White’s Mill Park but it’s a fairly uneventful experience unless you hike down to the water. There’s also a very neglected cemetery at the entrance with a few headstones. Still worth a visit if you want to stretch your legs!
You can also visit the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm which is about 20 minutes away (traffic depending). There are various old buildings, a few horses that’ll mosey on up to you and, yes, a cemetery. Although please be aware that they while the building have a historical and educational context, the stories shared are focused on the families who owned the property. Also note that there is no photography allowed other than for personal use unless you schedule in advance and pay a fee. Lastly, that road is busyyyy! Please use caution when walking to cross to the main house.
