A Traveler and his Cat exploring America.





Friday, July 18, 2014

Swedish Crosses Cemetery


Gothanburg, Nebraska


It is always nice to take a picture of the sign.  Saves me a lot of two finger typing.

I won't make you do the math. The family's first child died four months after birth.  Their second child died at the age of three months.  The third child died when he was two years old.  I cannot begin to imagine the hurt the family suffered.  That poor woman.  



Good grief, you have one child make it for two years, 
you begin to believe all will be okay with this one.

It is believed the grandfather sent to Sweden for the steel to fashion these crosses.  
They were made with some really thick heavy duty metal. 
It is also believed several neighboring children caught in a prairie fire are buried here without markers.

Just a lonely quiet dusty intersection of a Highway (yes, it is designated as Highway 47) 

and country Road 769.  Boy it was neat standing there in near absolute silence of the prairie.
 The Bergs were blessed with four more children after the first three died.




9 comments:

Pam said...

How beautiful that the markers were made by the children's grandfather. Why did we stop doing that ourselves? Stone may last but is so cold and impersonal in my opinion. I'm also not a fan of the fake flowers at gravesites, is it just me?

TexWisGirl said...

wow, a lasting reminder of so much pain for one family and community.

Mary Hone said...

Those markers are amazing! What tragedy for that family though.

RedPat said...

Such tragedies for one family.

Rose said...

I just could never imagine what parents feel like who lose a child, much less two or three.

Love all your photos...so interesting.

Anonymous said...

So very sad. The crosses are amazing and I enjoyed your photos.

Randy said...

Love the black and white photos.

Randy said...

Love the black and white photos.

GreenComotion said...

I will share this my friend from Sweden.
Thanks for the find!

Peace :)