There is an old, large, arboreal cemetery near where Janet and I live next to the Historic District in Wilmington, NC. It is appropriately named Oak Dale. The grounds are full of big, old live oak trees, some with Spanish moss and ivy draped on their limbs. It is a most pleasant place to be, so Janet Smith and her golden retriever Gracie and I walk or ride our bikes there nearly every day.
The lanes are mostly circuitous rather than straight, and mostly grassy rather than paved. It is a calming and soothing place to get some moderate exercise. Several sides of the park-like area are bounded by swamps, which adds to the natural atmosphere.
Some of the gravestones show birthdates back in the early 1800’s. Quite a few Civil War Confederate veterans are buried here. And, some more recent well-known persons are interred here, like Graham Keenan, who donated the funds to build Kenan football stadium at UNC Chapel Hill University.
