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    8 Notable Graves in Cave Hill Cemetery
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    Zooming passed the 296 acres of Cave Hill Cemetery every day en route to work or social commitments, it’s easy to take for granted the beauty and history of the cemetery. “A museum without walls,” President and CEO, Gwen Mooney calls it. Cave Hill is the eternal home to over 135,000 Kentuckians.  While most Loisvillians know about the famous graves (The Colonel and George Rogers Clark are amongst those interred in Cave Hill) there are many interesting graves that go unnoticed by most. Here are eight of the most interesting: 

    1. The Lonely Parrot

     

    The Parr lot, located in Section P is known for D.C. Parr’s massive monument containing the details to his safe deposit box. Behind this overshare rests a pet parrot: Pretty Polly. Less than a foot tall, Polly’s modest marker makes the only known animal to be offically buried in Cave Hill.

     

    2. Kentucky’s Benedictine

     

    In Section G of the cemetery, the creator of the creamy, cucumber spread Benedictine is forever remembered. The delicious spread was concocted over 100 years ago by Jennie C. Benedict. She originally made the spread to be used for tea time’s favorite cucumber sandwich. The recipe was published in the fourth edition of Benedict’s iconic recipe book, “The Blue Ribbon Cook Book."

     

    3. Mr. Magic

     

    Harry L. Collins was Louisville’s most popular magician in his day, and Frito-Lay sales representative. His mystical gravesite is located in Section 33 at the end of the main road. His life-size monument pays homage to the Frito-Lay magician who was both talented at tricks and corn chips.  

     

    4. The Composer

     

     “Happy Birthday” is probably the most recognizable tune in the English language. It’s sung across the country and around the world daily. We can thank Miss Patty Hill (and her sister Mildred) for all of that; the sisters (allegedly) came up with the tune as a "Good morning to you" song for Patty's students. The copyright to the unforgettable song doesn’t expire until 2030, so remember Miss Hill every time you sing her song.

     

    5. The Temple of Love

     

    Florence Satterwhite might be the luckiest lady in all of Cave Hill land. Her eternal home is the largest monument on the property located on a half-acre plot in Section C. Her husband, Preston Satterwhite, had the tribute constructed for Mrs. Satterwhite, modeled after a statue of Marie Antoinette in the gardens of the Petit Trianon at Versailles. The monument is made of Italian pink marble and includes 12 columns, 12 columns of love.  Michael Higgs, Director of Historic Foundation, claims, “It’s not to be replicated.”  

     

    6. A Better Chew

     

    Legend has it that pharmacist, John Colgan, watched children strip bark from trees and chew on it. While, technically, chewing gum was already around, in one form or another, Colgan made it a hell of a lot better; he sweetened it with powdered sugar. The result of the new twist on the old sticky, no pun intended, was “Colgan’s Taffy Tolu Chewing Gum."

     

    7. The Captain

     

    The Irvin Gothic Revival mausoleum isn’t steamboat Captain Irvin Mcharry’s first tomb. Before joining his wife horizontally, Captain McHarry was entombed upright in a burial vault overlooking the Ohio River. Story goes, McHarry wanted to be buried upright so he could hurl curses out of the porthole of his original tomb. Steamboats passing his old tomb today still blow there horn to ward off McHarry’s curse, but McHarry is too bust frightening children on school tours of the cemetery these days to do anything about it.

     

    8. The Pappy of Bourbon

     

    While Julian Proctor Van Winkle (better known as Pappy Van Winkle) isn’t the only distiller in Cave Hill, he is perhaps the most notable. He is responsible for the cult-like following his namesake bourbon has generated through the years. Pappy died in 1965 at the age of 89 and at the time was oldest active distiller. Clearly, he loved his much-coveted bourbon just as much as the world does.

     

    Photos by Katie Molck  

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    About Katie Molck

    Loretta Lynn is the best country music singer of all time and if you don't like pickled foods, you can leave.

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