Arguably one of the most famous writers from America, F. Scott Fitzgerald's work is known the world over. Famous for his novels, essays, and short stories, his profound style could be seen as the voice of an entire generation. That's especially true of his most famous work, The Great Gatsby. Born in Minnesota, the writer would live in many places in his lifetime. Yet few people realize this unique celebrity tie to Maryland, where Fitzgerald is buried.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in 1896 in Saint Paul. During his lifetime, he would publish four novels, four collections of stories, and 164 short stories.
In 1920, Fitzgerald married Alabama socialite Zelda Sayre, who also became a novelist and playwright.
Their marriage is famous for its turbulence, which seemed to be caused by a combination of fame, drinking, mental illness, and jealousy. When asked about Zelda's deteriorating mental health, Fitzgerald replied, "Perhaps fifty percent of our friends and relatives would tell you in all honest conviction that my drinking drove Zelda insane—the other half would assure you that her insanity drove me to drink. Neither judgement would mean anything."
Perhaps the most famous of all his work, The Great Gatsby was written in 1925. During the time of its publication, it received mixed reviews, despite the fact that it's now considered one of the greatest American novels of all time.
Fitzgerald died suddenly in 1940, at the young age of 44. The request to have his body buried at his family plot at the Catholic Saint Mary's Cemetery in Rockville, Maryland, was denied.
Instead, the writer was buried after a Protestant service at Rockville Cemetery, where the gravesite remained until 1975, when it was accepted into the family plot.
When Zelda died unexpectedly in a fire in Asheville, North Carolina, she was buried alongside her late husband in 1948.
Today, many fans of both Scott and Zelda visit the gravesite, leaving offerings and mementos.
Did you know about this unique celebrity tie to Maryland? Have you ever seen the gravesite of F. Scott Fitzgerald? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments below -- we would love to hear from you! For more fascinating trivia, check out this list of fun facts about Maryland.
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