Graveyard Photography - Spooky Art at Sacramento Historic City Cemetery

It is the process of dying, not death itself, that's so horrifying. Whether death is the end or just a transition, I think I will be all right either way. As morbid as it might sound, I have to admit graveyard art has always fascinated me, and ghost stories are nothing but music to my ears. Not finishing at least one cemetery art project in my life would indeed be a betrayal of my grim passion. This graveyard photography collection was taken at Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, a resting place of Civil War veterans, California governors, victims of the Cholera Epidemic and many Sacramentans since 1849. Here is where rows of gray headstones stand solemnly in the warm embrace of lush trees and delicate roses. Beauty, eeriness, melancholy and serenity all seamlessly merge into one. And if you take a moment to get a closer look at the ancient cemetery statues, you would find some of them returning your gaze. Only some appear friendly, but every single one seems to have a long story to tell.

***All these graveyard images are copyrighted by the photographer, Om Paramapoonya. Downloading these images for selling or redistribution is prohibited. However, you may use these pictures to illustrate your websites or blogs as long as you properly include photo credits and provide at least one link back to this article.***

This grand historic cemetery is located on Broadway and 10th Street. Although known as a home of the dead, its seemingly borderless lawn and garden also bring to life numerous roses and California native plants. Over-century-old statues are everywhere. Some stand undamaged and towering as if to protect the graves and peacefulness of the resting residents. Some lurk behind trees and obscure corners, disguising themselves with blankets of foliage and shadows. The time of year you choose to visit the cemetery will significantly affect your experience there. The summer and spring are when the graveyard appears the least spooky. The ancient sorrow that lingers on every headstone is comforted by blooming flowers and the greenness of the trees. In the fall, the ground and tombstones put on their brown cloaks of freckled brittle leaves. In every direction you go, the wind seems to follow you, creating whispery sounds in the trees and silhouettes of waltzing branches on the ground. When the winter arrives, serenity usurps this whole cemetery with such resoluteness. Even the rains can't seem to disturb its perfect placidity.

I went to the cemetery twice in October. Both times the place remained basically the same, but my perception of it on each trip was quite different. On the first visit, I roamed the graveyard with much curiosity; my legs kept moving forward; my finger snapped the camera almost constantly as though there was a rhythm to it. I wasn't looking for anything but pleased with everything. The second time around, I slowed down my pace. My curiosity became subdued, but I was more amazed to see how many great spots I had failed to notice on my first trip. Some cemetery statues appeared whimsically furtive. It was almost like they didn't want to be seen. Some that appeared so ominous and almost scared me on my prior visit surprisingly revealed their vulnerable side, as I peeked at them from the opposite angle. When I edited the pictures, I guess I was in my "Twilight Zone" mood. I kept playing with several color and lighting effects until the photos came out the exact same way I envisioned them in my head. So I hope you enjoy viewing snapshots of this historic cemetery through "Om glasses."

I didn't encounter anything supernatural on either of my visits even though this historic cemetery has made it to the top-ten list of the most haunted places in Sacramento. Perhaps all the ghost stories I have heard about are simply tall tales. Or maybe the ghosts decided I wasn't worth their time. Who knows? Anyway, one of the most renowned apparitions of Sacramento Historic City Cemetery is May Woolsey, a 12-year-old girl who passed away in 1879. Many visitors claimed to have witnessed a blonde girl, sprucely dressed in Victorian clothing, playing with an array of toys right next to her grave. Once they tried to approach the girl, she simply disappeared. Another haunted story I recall is about a prostitute named Maria, whose unmarked grave has been guarded by a handless angel statue. The story goes that she was butchered by one of her clients in the 1920s, and till this day, some people still see her sitting by the stone angel, crying for help.