Though not Savannah's oldest cemetery, Bonaventure is certainly its most famous and hauntingly beautiful. Quintessentially Southern Gothic, it has captured the imaginations of writers, poets, naturalists, photographers and filmmakers for more than 150 years. Part natural cathedral, part sculptural garden, Bonaventure transcends time.
Military generals, poet Conrad Aiken, Academy Award-winning lyricist Johnny Mercer and Georgia's first governor Edward Telfair are among those buried at Bonaventure. The approximately 100-acre cemetery is also historically significant as a reflection of changing views on death and dying in the Victorian era. As death became more romanticized and ritualized during this period, cemeteries became lush, beautiful "cities of the dead."
Another reason behind Bonaventure's popularity is John Berendt's book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which featured a cover photo of the now-famous "Bird Girl" statue, formerly located in Bonaventure. The statue has since been moved to the Telfair Museum of Art, The Jepson Center founded through the bequest of Mary Telfair.
