I thought the term comes from the [U.S.] Civil War where prisoners were given a limited room to mill about. And they were told that if they crossed the “dead line,” that’s what they would become.
Every time I see a large sprawling cemetery I think it’s a shame to dedicate so much land to relatively few people in comparison to the number of people that have died before them and will come after them.
As a C-130 pilot I was trained to do airdrops in “dead trail formation.” Given how easy it is for gunners to shoot down aircraft thus aligned, it is aptly named.
There’s a historical marker in Bellingham, WA, indicating that “deadline” referred to the line (a physical brass line in the road) beyond which Chinese seamen were allowed to be shot if they were out after curfew, back during the period of time in the late 1800s when illegal immigration was taken VERY seriously.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member 30 days ago
Obituary, synonym for deadline…
lalapalooza Premium Member 30 days ago
it looks like the burial ground for that tragic shell rowing accident of 1874 in Boston.
HidariMak 30 days ago
And here I thought it was the graves for those behind the “Dominoes” game.
Sanspareil 30 days ago
Those graves are in the dead centre of the fences!
enigmamz 30 days ago
I hope only urns are buried there. Not much room between slabs.
mottyg 30 days ago
I thought the term comes from the [U.S.] Civil War where prisoners were given a limited room to mill about. And they were told that if they crossed the “dead line,” that’s what they would become.
keenanthelibrarian 30 days ago
Well, she’s happy. Wonder how large the cemetery actually is; lotsa small people buried there …
Imagine 30 days ago
Get in line…
Farside99 29 days ago
Stretches around the world!!!
WDemBlk Premium Member 29 days ago
Happy Passover to all.
phritzg Premium Member 29 days ago
I was part of a deadline a long time ago. Jerry Garcia and company were playing at Winterland, and I arrived before the doors opened.
Funniguy 29 days ago
An old riddle goes: Why are there fences around cemeteries? Because people are dying to get in them. (Rimshot & cymbal crash!)
mindjob 29 days ago
It could be a street in any town. Instead of a cemetery, bury the dead on 2nd street. No need to add any stop signs
HappyDog/ᵀʳʸ ᴮᵒᶻᵒ ⁴ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶦᵗ Premium Member 29 days ago
Every time I see a large sprawling cemetery I think it’s a shame to dedicate so much land to relatively few people in comparison to the number of people that have died before them and will come after them.
[Traveler] Premium Member 29 days ago
They’re just killing time
Out of the Past 29 days ago
Reminded me of Kings Chapel Burying Ground in Boston.
ajr58(1) 29 days ago
Nice timing, as NPR is running stories about the sometimes questionable accuracy of some historic markers.
fuzzbucket Premium Member 29 days ago
Golly gee. You hurt my feelings by reminding me I’m gonna kick off some day. I’m gonna sue…
GreenT267 29 days ago
Unfortunately, this may be the only green space available in the city. Happy Earth Day. May we have many more.
The Lone Panda & Tonto 29 days ago
My first thought was “They filled in a NY subway entrance and used it as a graveyard.”
sandpiper 29 days ago
If that’s a once wild western town, it appears there were lots of shootings in one street and the dead were buried where they fell.
p1op2cor3n 29 days ago
Must be standing on end.
paranormal 29 days ago
I thought it was the ending of a Conga line…
Linguist 29 days ago
Historical Marker: “On this spot in 1648 absolutely nothing happened!”
HOTLOTUS1 29 days ago
i wondered how the got the term, deadman’s row. weird though. now i’m hungry for pizza!
Mel-T-Pass Premium Member 29 days ago
Cute strip, but no. I’m surprised some pedant didn’t come in with a “well, actually” and a link.
Slowly, he turned... 29 days ago
She apparently, is trying to get in line. A lot of selfie-takers do.
dflak 29 days ago
As a C-130 pilot I was trained to do airdrops in “dead trail formation.” Given how easy it is for gunners to shoot down aircraft thus aligned, it is aptly named.
timinwsac Premium Member 29 days ago
Conga line dance contestants that died in a bus crash?
batesmom7 29 days ago
NPR: Our “country’s markers…. where offensive lies live with impunity, history is distorted and errors are sometimes as funny as they are strange.”
Steverino Premium Member 29 days ago
I thought it has something to do with a dead lion.
mistercatworks 29 days ago
Nobody is buried there. It’s where old landmarks go when they die.
joannesshadow 29 days ago
We were returning to the campground where we were staying after a bus tour of New Orleans when we drove past one of the cemeteries.
Bus driver: “Do you know how many people are buried there?”
Me (miss smarty pants): “All of them!”
Can't Sleep 29 days ago
That’s where the first conga line is buried.
Mike Baldwin creator 29 days ago
Lots of followers!
Stan McSerr 29 days ago
This is where all the Keebler elves are burried.
alexius23 29 days ago
Sine die
eddi-TBH 29 days ago
Some leftover headstones, park railings and a roll of astroturf. Charge admission and you’ll be rich in a week.
Need coffee 29 days ago
There’s a historical marker in Bellingham, WA, indicating that “deadline” referred to the line (a physical brass line in the road) beyond which Chinese seamen were allowed to be shot if they were out after curfew, back during the period of time in the late 1800s when illegal immigration was taken VERY seriously.
CorkLock 29 days ago
Well the residents of “Deadline” must be happy. Hearing no complaints.
cwg 14 days ago
That’s deadman’s row.