Stairs to Her Grave: Florence Irene Ford
A grieving mother demands to see her daughter after burial.
A young girl lies in her grave undisturbed. But she is not always alone. Cold, jagged steps lead down into the earth where her casket is buried. A small, dusty window displays her mortal body resting on a pillow of silk. Ellen Ford, her grieving mother, made the most unusual request; to be able to access her beautiful daughter even after death.
Natchez City Cemetery in Mississippi attracts tourists all year long, many coming to view the beloved Ford child for themselves. They want to know if the rumors are true. Is there really a hidden staircase leading to the body of 10-year-old Florence Irene?
A staircase was built by request in 1871. Ellen was concerned only for her child as Florence had been terribly afraid of storms when she was alive. Her mother would always be there to comfort her through frightening nights of thunder and lightning. Her sudden death from yellow fever devastated Ellen to an unimaginable degree.
She couldn’t live with the thought of never seeing her little girl again.
The solid stone staircase granted her access to view Florence through a tiny, glass window where she could read stories and sing songs to comfort the deceased child. A metal-hinged door…
