A child’s playhouse traditionally conjures fun and innocent times, however the one in Hope Hill Cemetery in Medina, TN takes on a much more somber tone. It is the gravesite of Dorothy Marie Harvey who died in 1931 at 5 years of age.
Dorothy and her family were passing through Medina, Tennessee on their way North to find work. When Dorothy got measles and died, the townfolk helped her family bury her in Hope Hill Cemetery.
She played with dolls often so in memory of her they built a playhouse over the gravesite. The dollhouse was filled with toys as well.
Over the years the dollhouse has been maintained by the cemetery.
Using playhouses on a gravesite is not unique to Tennessee, one of the most ornate ones is located in Lanett, Alabama.
You can find out the fascinating story behind it on Alabama Pioneers – www.alabamapioneers.com