If you’ve ever happened upon a headstone that looked to be made by hand, there is an interesting article on the subject by The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training that you can read here.
An excerpt:
We discovered that these markers were constructed from a variety of materials, including concrete, wood and metal. They could be simple in form, but they could also be more elaborate, incorporating complex shapes and various means of decorating and inscription. Other displayed a remarkable degree of skill and artistic sensibilities, sometimes making it difficult to tell them from professionally made commercial markers.
It soon became apparent that these represented a little noted aspect of vernacular funerary history, as well as folk art.
This certainly applies to some of the grave markers in Laurel Grove South. There are some gorgeous headstones made lovingly by perhaps a loved one or friend of the interred. These markers make you feel like you’re in both a history museum and an art museum and are a testament to the talent these residents possessed.
Laurel Grove South 