The Lumpkin County Historical Society has a website that tells the history of this rambling cemetery on a hill where, in the beginning, people were just buried up there with their own handmade headstones. Many of these headstones are not legible now. The cemetery plots are not in a straight line and extensive work has been done over the years to repair the broken headstones.

“Slot and Tab” tombstones have a variety of explanations but the most practical was probably to serve as a decorative way to preserve a burial place from being stepping into by wandering livestock and a way to prevent scavengers both human and animal from digging up a loved one. Apparently “Slot and Tab” gravestones are found in many old cemeteries in North Georgia.

Different designs and cemeteries with these unique burial markers can be found at: slot&tab tombs of NE Georgia (darkfiber.com)

There were also Yucca plants in various places around the cemetery that got me to digging about why they were there and, in many cases, why there were no headstones in that burial plot. Well, back in the day, they were often used as grave markers. They lasted a long time and could be used to mark a loved one’s final resting place until a grave stone could be placed there. Sadly, these plants are sometimes the only reminder of a loved one. You can find out more from the Lumpkin Historical Society: Lumpkin County Historical Society – Yucca Plant (lumpkinhistory.org)

There are graves for soldiers from many wars including many from the Civil War but also the Mexican War and others. There is also a double grave below that reads, “Each was killed by accident in the faithful discharge of duty. The dates are not even close, but both were from the Meaders Family.

And the Scanlin family burial plot with walls covered in animals, plants, and the poems of Emily Dickinson was fascinating to walk through. Cynthia Jennings from “To Die for Images” says that Scanlin was a local jeweler who created jewelry there in Dahlonega until 2019.  Her photos can be seen here: Scanlin Monument-Dahlonega, Georgia | To Die for Images

In closing, I loved walking through this cemetery and looking up the history afterward. Stories of tainted drinking water at the spring so close the memorial for the dead and a suggested but never built wire fence that might have kept the livestock out of the cemetery are all part of a fascinating history of a mountain town that was once known for gold mining and now houses a university.

You can read more at the Lumpkin Historical Society: Lumpkin County Historical Society – Mt. Hope (lumpkinhistory.org)

There is an unofficial Facebook page for Mt. Hope Cemetery that can be found at: (7) Mount Hope Cemetery | Facebook

Mt. Hope Cemetery has free parking, free admission, and self-guided tours. Explore Georgia has a little information at: Mount Hope Cemetery | Official Georgia Tourism & Travel Website | Explore Georgia.org

Find out more about visiting Dahlonega, Georgia at: Discover Dahlonega | Heart of the Georgia Mountains