Mark Twain
Few men did more to create adventure, literature, and joy in the eighteen hundreds than Mark Twain. Laid to rest among U.S. veterans and congressmen in Woodlawn Cemetery – which got its start as a Confederate prison camp – Twain’s headstone and the adjacent monument honor this witty and exciting writer and humorist.
Reading “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” to your children is still a way to give them good lessons about respect, help them learn about adventure, and get them laughing. His headstone even features his birth name, Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Visitors often leave pennies on the headstone and cigars – something Twain was known to enjoy during life.
Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe’s death was as complex as his life. He was originally buried in an unmarked grave in Baltimore in 1849. Fearing the community would forget where he was buried, a gravestone was ordered before it could reach the cemetery; however, it was destroyed in a freak train wreck.
So contributions were made, and a beautiful monument was designed for the late poet. The monument was a disaster; it mislabeled Poe’s birthday and was too big for the spot it was meant to be in. Finally, in 1875 the people gave up putting a gravestone and just moved the body to a different cemetery with a separate tombstone already waiting. Reportedly, the gravestone with the raven on it was placed to commemorate his original resting place…but is placed in an incorrect spot.
Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison was known for his wild and out-of-this-world performances. His fans fell in love with his unpredictable personality so much that the rock star became the human embodiment of the counterculture movement of the time. Unfortunately, Morrison passed away in Paris at age 27.
The cause of his death remains a mystery, and fans are left to contemplate the reason for his too-soon departure. Morrison was buried in Paris, and his gravestone has become one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Fans leave everything from flowers to cigarettes, commemorating their beloved idol.
Al Capone
The American mobster, criminal, and businessman, Al Capone, served time in prison for his crimes and was released in 1940 in poor health. He went through treatment at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore after other hospitals refused to accept him because of his reputation. His health continued to decline, and after examination, doctors determined that Capone had the mentality of a 12-year-old.
Capone contracted pneumonia and died from cardiac arrest shortly after. He was originally buried in Chicago but was eventually moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery, located in Hillside, Illinois, along with his father and his brother.
Bruce Lee
Although he's been gone for decades now, martial arts guru Bruce Lee remains the genre's most prominent symbol. His grave draws fans from all over the world. Born in San Fransisco, the kung-fu teacher was known for his strength and stature and broke box-office records with his films.
He was on his way to becoming an international star when he unexpectedly died at age 32. Though the official cause of his death was an allergic reaction to aspirin, fans insist that he died due to an evil curse.