Old Tombstone
Encyclopedia
Old Tombstone, also known as the Denton Monument, is a folk art
tombstone listed on both the National Register of Historic Places
and the Virginia Landmarks Register
in the town of Hollins
, Virginia
, United States
. Located in the Tombstone Cemetery, just east of Plantation Road (Virginia State Route 115
), Old Tombstone is noted for its folk art elements as being unique to Southwest Virginia.
marking the grave of Robert Denton, and is 4 ft (1.2 m) long, 2.6 ft (0.79248 m) wide and, 1.6 ft (0.48768 m) at its thickest point. The stone features a carving on its top exposing the head and torso of a child, with markings in German
, English
and Latin
. The inscription reads:
Once loved, once valued, now avails me not; Though my relations have not me forgot . . .
during the period, is unique to Southwest Virginia
. Krone met the Dentons after the family took him in after falling ill at the turn of the 19th century. Due to the generosity of the family, Krone carved the monument free of charge upon the death of Robert Denton.
By 1967, the ornate lid that once covered the sandstone face and bust of the child was stolen. As a result of the theft, the Hollins Lions Club constructed a roof and chain-link cage around the monument to protect it from vandals. Due to its architectural significance the monument was named to the Virginia Landmarks Register
in 1977 and to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980. The cemetery
where it is located, Tombstone Cemetery, takes its name directly from that of Old Tombstone.
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
tombstone listed on both the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and the Virginia Landmarks Register
Virginia Landmarks Register
The Virginia Landmarks Register is a list of historic properties in the state of Virginia. The state's official list of important historic sites, it was created in 1966. The Register serves the same purpose as the National Register of Historic Places...
in the town of Hollins
Hollins, Virginia
Hollins is a census-designated place in Botetourt and Roanoke counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. Hollins covers much of the area known locally as "North County". The population was 14,309 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located in the Tombstone Cemetery, just east of Plantation Road (Virginia State Route 115
Virginia State Route 115
Virginia State Route 115 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as Plantation Road, the state highway runs from U.S...
), Old Tombstone is noted for its folk art elements as being unique to Southwest Virginia.
Description
Old Tombstone is a monolithic freestone carvingMonolithic architecture
Monolithic architecture is a style of construction in which a building is carved, cast or excavated from a single piece of material. The most basic form of monolithic architecture is the monolith, such as the monolithic churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia or the Pancha Rathas in India.Buildings with a...
marking the grave of Robert Denton, and is 4 ft (1.2 m) long, 2.6 ft (0.79248 m) wide and, 1.6 ft (0.48768 m) at its thickest point. The stone features a carving on its top exposing the head and torso of a child, with markings in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. The inscription reads:
Once loved, once valued, now avails me not; Though my relations have not me forgot . . .
History
The monument was designed by Laurence Krone, a prolific Virginia-German carver. Its design featuring a carving of a child, although commonplace in New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
during the period, is unique to Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virginia counties on the Appalachian Plateau, all Virginia counties west of the Eastern Continental Divide, or...
. Krone met the Dentons after the family took him in after falling ill at the turn of the 19th century. Due to the generosity of the family, Krone carved the monument free of charge upon the death of Robert Denton.
By 1967, the ornate lid that once covered the sandstone face and bust of the child was stolen. As a result of the theft, the Hollins Lions Club constructed a roof and chain-link cage around the monument to protect it from vandals. Due to its architectural significance the monument was named to the Virginia Landmarks Register
Virginia Landmarks Register
The Virginia Landmarks Register is a list of historic properties in the state of Virginia. The state's official list of important historic sites, it was created in 1966. The Register serves the same purpose as the National Register of Historic Places...
in 1977 and to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980. The cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
where it is located, Tombstone Cemetery, takes its name directly from that of Old Tombstone.