Exploring a Hauntingly Beautiful Historic Cemetery

We recently visited Fort Hill Cemetery located in Cleveland Tennessee while on a trip down south.
I had just picked up a Sony FX3, so I wanted to test it in a place where I could get cinematic and peaceful shots. I really like the colors that came out of the camera, so I just adjusted them a tiny bit and added a bit of vignetting and grain.
We didn't know much about the cemetery going in. Now though after doing some research, there's a ton of really cool history there.
From important people in American History, to local Halloween legends like Tall Betsy, this place made for an interesting afternoon.
Here's a little history and info -
Fort Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Cleveland, Tennessee. It was once called Cemetery Hill and was used as a makeshift fort by the Union Army during the Civil War. The cemetery is located on the highest point near the city and offers views of the city.
The cemetery is the final resting place of many veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War.
It is also the resting place of both Confederate and Union soldiers. In 1862, 17 Confederate soldiers were killed in a train wreck and buried in a mass grave at the cemetery. In 1863, Union soldiers who died in nearby engagements were also buried at the cemetery.
The cemetery offers a variety of burial options including traditional ground burial, mausoleums, and cremation inurnment. In 1990, the Bradley County Commission dedicated land within the cemetery for the free internment of honorably discharged Bradley County veterans and their spouses. This section is called Fort Hill Veterans Cemetery.
The Fort Hill Cemetery Walking Tour is an annual event that brings the history of the cemetery to life. The Bradley Historical Society and Lee University host the tour each year.
The tours are led by Lee University history majors and volunteers. Students and local performers dressed in period costume bring the early residents of Cleveland and Bradley County to life.
The tours begin at 4 PM and continue until dusk.
Each tour lasts about 75 minutes and starts every 15 minutes. The last tour begins shortly after 6 PM. Tickets cost $5 per person or $2 for students and are purchased on site.
The land that the cemetery sits on was used by the Union Army as a makeshift fort during the Civil War.
Tall Betsy is a Halloween icon from Bradley County, Tennessee.
Her grave is located in Fort Hill Cemetery.
According to legend, Tall Betsy was a very tall woman who walked the streets of Cleveland late at night around 1910 to 1920. She was also known as Black Betsy or the Lady in Black.
Tall Betsy was the subject of dark tales told to young children. She was said to kidnap children who were out too late on Halloween and carry them off to her mausoleum. There, she would cook and eat them and gnaw on their bones.
The mausoleum in the legend was based upon a real one built for the Shields family many years ago.
Tall Betsy was declared the "Official Halloween Goblin" of Bradley County in 1989.
Sources:
visitcleveland...
www.hmdb.org/m...
tennesseeriver...
tallbetsy.com/
www.timesfreep...
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#oldcemetery #historiccemetery #forthillcemetery #clevelandtn #tallbetsy #cemetery #lesserknownadventures