Bonaventure Cemetery was developed on the historically-significant site of Bonaventure Plantation. The peaceful setting rests on a scenic bluff of the Wilmington River, east of Savannah. The site was purchased for a private cemetery in 1846 and became a public cemetery in 1907. Citizens and others can still purchase interment rights in Bonaventure. This charming site has been a world-famous tourist destination for more than 150 years due to the old tree-lined roadways, the many notable persons interred, the unique cemetery sculpture and architecture, and the folklore associated with the site and the people.
At a whopping 100 acres, Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the biggest in the state, if not the country. If walking sounds too daunting, don’t worry: you can drive around the winding pathways and lanes. According to pretty much everyone who visits, it’s eerily quiet and still, but breathtakingly beautiful. It's also Savannah's most haunted cemetery.
The most common haunting associated with Bonaventure centers around the grave of Gracie Watson, a child whose ghost is often heard crying in the middle of the night. Even spookier? Her monument is said to cry tears of blood.
As if creepy, crying statues weren't enough, the cemetery is allegedly haunted by a pack of ghostly dogs as well. Paranormal investigators have reported actually being chased from the cemetery by the spectral canines! Better wear your running shoes, just in case.