Many an artist has lived in anonymity only to find recognition after death; but when it comes to megastars like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, fame can come early in life and sticks into the hereafter. Celebrity gravesites become popular attractions, visited by tourists hoping to connect with their once living idol.
Nearly a year ago, shortly after Houston – a six-time Grammy Award winner – shockingly was found dead in her Los Angeles hotel room the day before the Grammys; her body was taken to New Jersey where it was buried next to her father at Fairview Cemetery. The next day, fans in droves flocked to her gravesite, so much so that the cemetery became overwhelmed and closed its gates.
A Fairview Cemetery representative declined to answer questions specific to Houston's grave but told CNBC that the cemetery does not accept gifts from Houston's fans and does not allow unapproved visitors to her grave. Yet such privacy isn't always the case. Devotees constantly adorn a long list of celebrity gravesites with flowers, gifts and in-person tributes and the constant traffic can make keeping a popular memorial in good condition difficult.
Click to see some of the most popular celebrity gravesites of all time.
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By Jeanine Ibrahim
Posted 28 Jan. 2013