During the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, the Manning family was beset with tragedy after tragedy. They lived in the town of Holly Springs, Mississippi. In 1875, the couple, Van and Mittie Manning, watched as a second child, Mittie, died in front of them
The mother, Mary Mitting, went insane with grief. Atlas Obscura describes the unusual grave they erected for the little girl:
When it came time to bury her second child, Mary had a breakdown. She refused to allow Van or anyone else to place her daughter into the ground. A compromise was made and Mittie Manning was buried in a sarcophagus above ground.
However, this did not fully console Mary, who wanted to be able to see the face of her daughter. In the marble slab that covered the tomb, a sliding window was installed, allowing Mary to see her daughter.
According to some local legends, as Mittie’s body began to decompose, Mary became insane from grief and refused to leave the grave. Eventually, Van was forced to bury Mittie underground. The original slab, with its window, was left in place.
Photos: HauntedHolly