Inspiring and beautifully written. I did my own cemetery tour earlier this summer to a segregated one in East Austin where my great grandfather and several of his young children were buried after a horrific train accident that took the lives of a majority of the family. The visit led to an impromptu interview of the volunteer caretaker’s widow. I have been meaning to write about it- I think I will. Thank you.
Interestingly, the word Tohubohu showed up in my WordDaily email list morning. It is an early 17th century Hebrew word meaning a state of complete and utter chaos. I think it is going to be a big part of my vocabulary for the indefinite future.
Beautifully written Mike. Very much enjoying your columns and interviews. I hope a book about this journey of yours (and ours) is in the works. Thank you.
You've been a risk taker long before I found you at The Lincoln Project. I could listen to you and Ron on Politicology. Even with the + segments the discussions always end. I may have come for the politics, but I stay for everything else you give us to consider. Thank you 🌻
Thank you, Mike, for this thoughtful piece. I like your insight about cemeteries, graveyards, as institutions, grounding us, giving us a sense of permanence, of place. I've always like cemeteries and wandering through them, imagining the lives of the dead. But my parents moved to and raised us in a community, a place, far from family and ancestors so my family names were never represented on the tombstones. As a young adult, my family went to a Henegar family reunion outside Henager, Alabama (there's a story behind why the name is spelled differently) in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The cemetery was filled with the tombstones and graves of people who were my ancestors. The experience was strangely grounding. Thanks for reminding me of that experience, and for reminding me so vividly of the Sierra Nevada foothills - I recall escaping the Sacramento heat by going higher or to the sea. I'm enjoying your writing.
Thank you, Mike, for this thoughtful reflection. I was especially struck by your account of the Auburn Chinese Cemetery, hidden in plain sight yet so powerful in its testimony. In Australia, the Chinese also made lasting contributions as miners, farmers, and seamen, though often excluded from the mainstream story. My great-great-grandfather employed both Chinese workers and Polynesian indentured labourers in North Queensland, so I felt a connection to my own family history while reading this. Cemeteries and work camps here, as in California, remind us that permanence was sought not only in wealth but also in community and memory, despite the barriers people faced.
This means more to me than you know. I always worry about pieces like this because it’s so different than everything else I write but it’s part of the journey and this is very meaningful.
What an amazing piece. It reminds me of where my great grandparents and grandparents are buried alongside most of their siblings and their spouses just outside Washington, DC. It makes me question if the cremation and scattering of ashes that my parents and stepfather chose ends that chain (my husbandand I have opted for the same). I haven't lived up there since 2000 we followed my mom and raised our children in South Carolina. Our relocation from where we were born/raised prompted our decision. Maybe we should reconsider. Thank you for giving me something outside of politics to think about.
Another great take in Mike’s cultural commentary and explorations. Your heart, spirit, and poetic side really shine out 💖
Another son of California told a gold rush story 30 years ago - minus the immigrant component, except that as Mike says, that rush of folks were pretty much all coming from SOMEwhere else. Please give this a listen: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B9N-xsWPaNc
Inspiring and beautifully written. I did my own cemetery tour earlier this summer to a segregated one in East Austin where my great grandfather and several of his young children were buried after a horrific train accident that took the lives of a majority of the family. The visit led to an impromptu interview of the volunteer caretaker’s widow. I have been meaning to write about it- I think I will. Thank you.
Interestingly, the word Tohubohu showed up in my WordDaily email list morning. It is an early 17th century Hebrew word meaning a state of complete and utter chaos. I think it is going to be a big part of my vocabulary for the indefinite future.
Beautifully written Mike. Very much enjoying your columns and interviews. I hope a book about this journey of yours (and ours) is in the works. Thank you.
You've been a risk taker long before I found you at The Lincoln Project. I could listen to you and Ron on Politicology. Even with the + segments the discussions always end. I may have come for the politics, but I stay for everything else you give us to consider. Thank you 🌻
Thank you, Mike, for this thoughtful piece. I like your insight about cemeteries, graveyards, as institutions, grounding us, giving us a sense of permanence, of place. I've always like cemeteries and wandering through them, imagining the lives of the dead. But my parents moved to and raised us in a community, a place, far from family and ancestors so my family names were never represented on the tombstones. As a young adult, my family went to a Henegar family reunion outside Henager, Alabama (there's a story behind why the name is spelled differently) in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The cemetery was filled with the tombstones and graves of people who were my ancestors. The experience was strangely grounding. Thanks for reminding me of that experience, and for reminding me so vividly of the Sierra Nevada foothills - I recall escaping the Sacramento heat by going higher or to the sea. I'm enjoying your writing.
Thank you Lillian 🙏🏼
Mike it’s sobering. A deviation from your usual but welcome lesson. Reminded me of graves seen in Prague a few weeks ago from the 1700s
Thank you for reminding us Cemeteries are amazing teachers reminding us our time to help others is finite.
Thank you for the kind words 🙏🏼
Thank you, Mike, for this thoughtful reflection. I was especially struck by your account of the Auburn Chinese Cemetery, hidden in plain sight yet so powerful in its testimony. In Australia, the Chinese also made lasting contributions as miners, farmers, and seamen, though often excluded from the mainstream story. My great-great-grandfather employed both Chinese workers and Polynesian indentured labourers in North Queensland, so I felt a connection to my own family history while reading this. Cemeteries and work camps here, as in California, remind us that permanence was sought not only in wealth but also in community and memory, despite the barriers people faced.
Thanks Peter 🙏🏼 Sounds like you have the makings of an epic novel there!
I enjoy walking through cemeteries and thinking about the history of those who came before us. We have some old ones here in MA too.
The oldest in the country I believe
I'm enjoying your Substack so much. Thank you for your time, effort you put into tje variety of written pieces and conversions.
This means more to me than you know. I always worry about pieces like this because it’s so different than everything else I write but it’s part of the journey and this is very meaningful.
What an amazing piece. It reminds me of where my great grandparents and grandparents are buried alongside most of their siblings and their spouses just outside Washington, DC. It makes me question if the cremation and scattering of ashes that my parents and stepfather chose ends that chain (my husbandand I have opted for the same). I haven't lived up there since 2000 we followed my mom and raised our children in South Carolina. Our relocation from where we were born/raised prompted our decision. Maybe we should reconsider. Thank you for giving me something outside of politics to think about.
Thank you Jill 🙏🏼
This is up there with your baseball field story. Great work!
Thank you 🙏🏼
Orale! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🏅
Another great take in Mike’s cultural commentary and explorations. Your heart, spirit, and poetic side really shine out 💖
Another son of California told a gold rush story 30 years ago - minus the immigrant component, except that as Mike says, that rush of folks were pretty much all coming from SOMEwhere else. Please give this a listen: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B9N-xsWPaNc
Nice analogical piece. Now I'll add a trip to the cemetaries in Placerville to my annual Apple Hill jaunt, very cool.
Enjoy! They’re numerous and distinct and each one has a story
A beautiful, evocative essay. Thank you.
Oops.
We have many gold mines (mostly closed) but I think I’ll take some walks through the old cemeteries and remember the people who built all this.