Posted in Tennessee
January 14, 2018
You Won’t Find These Bizarre Gravestones Anywhere But Tennessee
Tennessee is a state that has found its footing on the back of history. Built up by the past and yearning for the future, our great state is one that honors what once was but continuously looks forward, ever reaching for something new and expansive. Still, there are a few spots in these here woods that stay solidly tied to the past. If you haven’t heard of these strange Tennessee spots, these weird Tennessee gravestones, then you might want to take a look. It’s simply shocking.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
You'll find these strange gravestones scattered across the entirety of the Cumberland Plateau, known as "tent graves" to the locals. You may also see them referred to as "comb graves."
As you can see here, you can tell the graves apart from a normal headstone with the tent-like figuring of the stone slabs. A majority of graves that follow this odd set-up were utilized in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The story behind the idea is that the tent gravestones are popular due to problems with the settling of old graves. You see, wooden coffins fall apart. It's true. And once they do, the ground starts to sink...
Keeping a tent-like gravestone above the burial plot protected the sunken ground and kept animals away from the area.
You can most notably find these comb graves in the Cash Family Cemetery (yep, it's exactly what it sounds like - the man in black is here), which means you can have a mini history lesson as you wander through the quiet Coffee County space.
It’s a pretty interesting story, wouldn’t you say? Continue exploring Tennessee with these spots that are loved by locals and tourists alike.
