Sylvia Plath
Gravestones, even those for celebrities, don’t garner much controversy. Poet and author Sylvia Plath was a lightning rod for the stuff even after her passing. Buried in St. Thomas Churchyard in Heptonstall, England, the gravestone included Plath’s married surname, “Hughes,” at the request of her husband and fellow poet, Ted Hughes.
Some blamed Hughes for the tragedy, and the word was repeatedly chiseled off by visitors and mourners. Eventually, the managers had to cast the name in bronze to deter vandalism. If you’re in the area and want to respect this poet, just bring flowers and leave the stonework to the experts.
Andy Warhol
One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Andy Warhol was a prominent figure in the New York art scene from the late 1950s until his passing in 1987. Warhol was known for hosting various personalities in his art house, from struggling artists to major Hollywood celebrities.
He would often declare them famous, increasing the use of the expression "15 minutes of fame." When he passed, he was buried next to his parents in Pennsylvania. Unlike the artist and his work, the grave is simple but decorated with many of Warhol's famous pop-art items.
Alexander Hamilton
You know him from the smash stage musical, but have you ever visited his grave? It sits in the Trinity Churchyard of Lower Manhattan, New York City – the only active cemetery in Manhattan, which is also the final resting place of numerous other statesmen and veterans. America's first treasury secretary died in a pistol duel with then-Vice President Aaron Burr.
Hamilton is also enshrined on the front of the ten-dollar bill, which is one of the rare bills when you think about it. If he's the one who came up with the monetary system we use now, you think he'd either be on a more common bill like the one or a bigger bill like the hundred.
James Joyce
The Irish literature writer was surprisingly buried in Zurich. James Joyce left Ireland in 1902 because of political turmoil and, in 1941, died after enduring ulcer surgery in Switzerland. He was quickly buried in the Fluntern Cemetery.
Joyce's wife, Nora, tried to move her husband's body to Ireland after being buried, but the Irish government denied her request. Joyce's remains reside in a grave beside his wife and son, watched over by a small statue of the poet.
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstong, nicknamed "Satch," "Satchmo," and "Pops," was one of the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned from the 1920s to the late 1960s, during which Armstrong was considered a "crossover" entertainer, meaning his music united all people in a racially divided United States.
Though his gravestone is simple, engraved with one of these nicknames, his funeral was anything, but more than 25,000 people attended.