By Lee Maltenfort and Leslie Alwiel If you are reading this you probably already love old cemeteries. If you would like to help preserve one the 10 most beautiful Victorian Era cemeteries in the world, according to Travel+Leisure.com, consider joining the Bonaventure Historical Society. The BHS was created in 1992 by a retired Savannah school teacher…
by Lee Maltenfort There are, at this writing, only 3 multi-grave plots available for sale to the public by the Savannah Department of Cemeteries. That doesn’t mean it is, for want of a better expression, a full house. There are a number of lots that have not been filled for a variety of reasons. The…
Good news! Bonaventure Cemetery is open again! Lee Maltenfort BHS Chair reports via our Facebook page: Bonaventure Cemetery is now open to the public under very limited conditions. There are several areas in the historic section, such as Johnny Mercer Lane where the lyricist’s remains are buried, that are not accessible. Inaccessible areas will…
by Lee Maltenfort Bonaventure Historical Society held its annual meeting on November 3rd and the featured speaker was Richard Gerbasi, the Director of Cemeteries. He gave a detailed explanation of what is happening now at Bonaventure Cemetery and when we can expect it will reopen to the general public.When a rapid assessment of the damaged was…
By Leslie Alwiel Hurricane Matthew dealt quite a blow to the southeastern United States. Our beloved Bonaventure Cemetery was not spared. Lee Maltenfort, Chair, of the Bonaventure Historical Society recently toured the cemetery along with the Director of Cemeteries and reported on the damage. photo credit: Lee Maltenfort According to Mr. Maltenfort, “There are over…
By Lee Maltenfort, Chairman Weddings, and the planning for them, have taken on a new life of their own. The number of couples going to their local religious edifice for the nuptial rites is diminishing. In its place are a variety of options: Destination Weddings, Theme Weddings, Funded by GoFundMe Weddings, and there are probably many…
By Lee Maltenfort, Chairman Bonaventure Cemetery, as we are so happy to boast, has been rated the second most beautiful cemetery in the US by CNNTravel.com and among the top ten in listings provided by Travel+Leisure.com and other travel resources. We’re the top-rated free attraction in Savannah on just about every travel site evaluation found on…
By Lee Maltenfort It’s hard to believe a six-year-old girl, especially one that is now over 125 years old, can create so much interest, research, a bit of controversy and some frustration so easily for so long a time. But that’s Our Gracie – Gracie Watson, interred behind the wrought iron fence at E-98. …
From the Chairman: Welcome to the Bonaventure Historical Society (BHS) Blog. This blog is part of our new forays into social media (beyond our Facebook page) to endure or seduce you into making a visit to Bonaventure a must-do as you plan future vacations. It is managed by one of our more talented volunteers, Leslie Alwiel.…