In northeastern North Carolina, not too far from the Virginia state line, lies the town of Jackson in Northampton County. The town’s visitor’s center provides a walking/driving tour pamphlet that mostly focuses on the history of historic downtown Jackson (which is also worth a visit). However, the pamphlet also includes a few sites of interest that are within a few miles of downtown. One of these sites (about 3 miles from downtown) is a well-maintained roadside cemetery containing a set of grave houses.
While some people believe that grave houses come from an indigenous tradition, others claim Scots-Irish connections. In either case, this well-maintained graveyard holds three grave houses, or “spirit homes,” that serve to protect the grave and potentially provide a home for the spirit.
