Category Archives: National Register of Historic Places

First African Baptist Church-Cumberland Island, Georgia

Cumberland Island, Camden County, Georgia

It’s most known for being the wedding location of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette. This one-room church was established in 1893 in the area known as The Settlement, where many men and women born into slavery made their home after the Civil War.

This building was rebuilt in the 1930s and sits on the island’s north end.

Live Oak Cemetery-Selma, Alabama

Dallas County
Mattie Kieth, 1858-1888

Founded in 1829 and expanded in 1877, Live Oak Cemetery features many original markers. It is a contributing property to the Selma Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s noted for the dozen or so Victorian monuments in the cemetery. It earned its name after Colonel Dawson donated 80 Live Oaks and 80 Magnolia trees to be planted in the cemetery.

Eulalie Herrin, 1859-1865
Lucien Clay, 1872-1878
Elodie Breck Todd Dawson, 1840-1877. She was the sister of Mary Todd Lincoln and a staunch Confederate.

Charlotte Canda tomb at Green-wood Cemetery-Brooklyn, New York

Charlotte Canda (February 3, 1828-February 3, 1845) died on her 17th birthday in a carriage ride on the way home from her birthday. She is memorialized in an elaborate tomb at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Robert Launitz and John Franzee made this monument to reflect her life. The monument cost $45,000 to create. It is 17 feet and 17 feet wide. While it is tough to capture all of the details in her marker, many represent her life. She owned parrots and could speak five languages, which are illustrated on the monument.

Side view
One of the angels that guards her plot

Below are public domain stereograph images. Courtesy the New York Public Library.

Greenberry McCalla (1822-1889)-Catoosa County, Georgia

The Greenberry McCalla grave in the Old Stone Church Cemetery in Catoosa County highlights a few different examples of Victorian symbolism.

The grasping hands means the person was married when they passed away. In this case, Nancy McCalla outlived her husband by 28 years.

The closed book resting on the top of the grave means a long life, well lived.

Sloss Furnaces-Birmingham, Alabama

Founded in 1881 by Colonel James Withers Sloss, one of the founders of Birmingham, the Sloss Furnaces was Birmingham’s first blast furnace. The first blast was initiated in April 1882. Ownership changed hands several times until the furnaces closed in 1971.

The furnaces were slated for demolition until concerned citizens advocated for it to be saved. In 1981, they were designated as a National Historic Landmark. It reopened in 1983 to the public. Today the site is known for its concerts, annual haunted “house,” and metal arts classes. Visitors can freely tour the site.

Lyric Theater-Waycross, Georgia

This is probably one of my favorite theaters in the state purely for the masks. I don’t believe they are the Masks of Comedy and Drama because they both look horrified. If they do represent Comedy and Drama, this is the first time I’ve never been able to tell the difference which is which. If this is supposed to represent something else, please let me know.

Locals state the building was constructed in 1923. I did find news articles about the theater as early as 1925. It is a contributing property to the Waycross Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.