Natchez Cemetery

A tour of the Natchez City Cemetery is a glimpse back in time to the early days of historic Natchez, revealing the rich and colorful tapestry of this early Southern city on the Mississippi River. Many of the builders of the magnificent Natchez antebellum homes are buried here. Some mothers will go to any length to make sure their children are okay...even after the children are gone. Such is the case with Florence Irene Ford and her loving mother. Even after Florence contracted Yellow Fever and died at the age of 10 in 1871, her mother wanted to make sure that her daughter knew that she was with her, even from beyond the grave-- especially during thunderstorms, which terrified little Florence in life. Instead of burying her daughter in a normal grave at the Natchez Cemetery and leaving flowers at it like anyone else, Mrs. Ford had a special, one-of-a-kind tomb created for Florence. Behind the headstone is a set of doors that, when opened, reveal stairs that end roughly at the same level as Florence in her grave. Today, there's just a concrete wall at the base of the steps, but back when Mrs. Ford was alive, there was a window that looked out at the child's coffin. As the story goes, every time there was a storm, Mrs. Ford would open the doors and head into the little cellar to be with her daughter. I can't imagine that making anyone feel any better, but different strokes, I guess. Today, the doors still open, but the window was paved over to prevent vandalism. It's still pretty freaky to think that of you walk down those cracked, crumbling steps even today, Florence is just behind that wall of concrete. If you believe that visiting the little girl's grave comforts her spirit, then pay her a visit and let her know that everything is going to be alright-- and maybe give her the 10 day weather forecast in case there are any storms headed her way. -Roadtrippers