Hi! I’m Jennifer. I grew up in a small town. One that still sits on the edge of the amazingly beautiful and wonderfully wild Okefenokee Swamp.

I’ve loved funerary art and oddities for what seems like just about forever and my move to Athens over 15 years ago (wow, really? time flies) only fueled the fire of that interest. I’ve been lucky enough to meet lots of folks who have cemetery-centric interests and find places that are happy to show my fledgling photography. Very grateful for all of this.

I’ve spent a good deal of time exploring the Southern USA and documenting my finds, and I’ve moved into the realm of full-fledged tombstone tourist or taphophile. Definition: someone who visits cemeteries because they have a specific interest or hobby that isn’t affiliated with traditional mourning practices. In other words, I visit cemeteries and I don’t know a soul there!

I like to explore them for a variety of reasons – funerary art & sculptures, interesting epitaphs, ghost stories & odd history, interesting characters/people, vernacular works, Victorian Era finds, metal graves of cast iron & white bronze, etc. But that’s just me and there’s a world of other interests! Folks might go for historical research or to update find-a-grave. Some go the conservation route – mapping plots to protect them from land development, going bird or critter watching in a quiet and protected area, finding rare or native plants tucked against headstones, and any other number of pursuits. As you can see, there’s a lot to be had from exploring your local cemetery.

Of course, as a visitor one should be sure to read rules and regulations, and to behave accordingly. Many people visiting cemeteries are there to pay respect to loved or lost ones, and a good cemetery tourist will be sure to practice proper etiquette. Hey, I am from the South after all and we do love to natter on about manners…

Aside from all things cemetery, I am also a big fan of car camping, reading booksbooksbooks since I was a librarian in a previous life, visiting museums and museum gift shops, collecting vintage pottery, and finding roadside attractions and outsider folk art. Oh, and local festivals and botanical gardens!

While my blog is mostly about my Taphophile travels around the South, I hope we can connect over a variety of shared interests. And I’m very open for collaborations with others – especially not-for-profit events and projects.

My socials are in the top right of the blog if you’d like to follow on Instagram or Goodreads. My ETSY store has stickers and booklets available (but I’ll send you one for free if you can’t pay…I know times are tough out there), and you can always email me for a coffee talk if you’re ever in Athens! southerncemetery@gmail.com

Glad you’re here.

*There’s a historical difference between cemetery and graveyard but in a more modern/casual setting the term cemetery is often used in an overarching manner that includes both titles.