The Cuba Lake Cemetery

There's a tiny private cemetery on the dammed end of Cuba Lake. Sadly, it's seen better days. It's rumored that Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of Little House on the Prairie) has grand and great grandparents buried here, and in my walk through, I did see some stones marked with the name Ingalls. Though it's been mowed fairly recently, and someone has taken some time to remove weeds and vines, the stones are in heavy disrepair due to years of harsh winters, hoodlums, and simple neglect. Cemeteries were once places in which people gathered for picnics and other social activities, hence their elaborate and ornamental landscaping. But ever since the creation of the automobile, The Dawn of the Dead, and videogames, not so much legitimate fraternizing happens in cemeteries anymore.

The towering trees that once lined the dam have been removed, finally allowing some sunlight inside this little burial ground. The light made for easier picture taking, but it took some time for me to adjust to the change. It's fascinating to think how quickly people are forgotten. The men, women, and children buried here were laid to rest just a few generations back, yet their only visitors these days are strangers like myself and the occasional volunteer groundskeeper. Time marches on.