GPR Mapping of Lot K-207, Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia LAMAR Institute Publication Series, Report Number 167

This report presents the findings of a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey by the LAMAR Institute on Lot K-207 of the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia (Figures 1-3). This 28 foot by 14 foot lot is owned by the Estate of Jan Callen. The LAMAR Institute was retained by First City Capital Management, Inc. to map the cemetery lot using GPR technology. 

Bonaventure was the plantation home of Josiah Tattnall in the colonial period. Josiah Tattnall, III sold the property to Peter Wiltberger in 1846 and in 1847 “The Evergreen Cemetery Company of Bonaventure” was incorporated. By 1853 the cemetery enclosed 70 acres but it contained relatively few graves. Bonaventure was purchased by the City of Savannah in 1907-1908. By 1915 about 300 perpetual care grave plots, each measuring 14 feet by 28 feet, had been established. By 1923 the cemetery encompassed 101 acres, 50 of which were developed (De Bow 1854:247; Leland 1923:105; Bonaventure Historical Society 2010; Fleming 2001). 

Lot K-207 is a rectangular cemetery plot containing two 20th century grave markers within the enclosure. Its location within Section K of Bonaventure Cemetery is indicated in Figures 2 and 3. The approximate center point of Lot K-207 is at Latitude 32.045064 degrees, Longitude -81.045492 degrees. 

Extant grave markers are small granite tombstones for Leonard Parker Lipsey, Sr. (Tombstone 1 on left) and Eva Harrison Lipsey (Tombstone 2) (Figure 4). This photograph shows a north-facing view of Lot K-207. Tombstones 1 and 2 (from left to right) are visible near the center of the lot. Tombstone 1 states, “Leonard Parker Lipsey Sr. US Army World War I 1893 1936” and Tombstone 2 is inscribed, “Eva Harrison Lipsey 1893 1973”. These markers are centered on the lot on its east-west axis, but are offset to the south and their center points are approximately 3.5 meters north of the southern lot boundary. Although the grave plot is identified on its southern boundary as “Lipsey-McGill”, no marked graves for members of the McGill family exist. 

In addition to two tombstones within the grave lot, two other burials were reported to exist within the lot. Their locations were unknown. GPR was seen as one solution to determining which areas within the enclosure contained burials and which areas were undisturbed.