Happy Halloween, everyone! Today, in observation of just about everyone’s favorite holiday, we’ll take a look at a very special architectural form.
People have long interred the dead above ground, and for a variety of reasons. Some locations with high water tables are simply not suited to conventional burials. Some people don’t like the idea of spending eternity in the ground. Still others might want to make a statement after death, just as a house makes a statement in life.
We’ve all got to go sometime, and those with money have often done it in style. Here are just a few of the many ways in which people have decided to deal with eternity while still drawing a breath.
All of them are creepy in their own special way…
A house, or mausoleum in this case, should ideally reflect something of its inhabitant(s). Here, a stained glass dome above the resting place of astronomer Percival Lowell resembles an observatory from the exterior and the night sky from the interior. The outer dome is a recent addition designed to protect the original dome. It is located near the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Photo credit: Michael-Rainabba Richardson
Begun in 1917, the Miller Mausoleum near Holden, Missouri, bears more than a slight resemblance to a house. Here is a link to a story about the interesting structure. Photo by Sue Sterling.
As a sort of “open air” mausoleum, the Davis Memorial in Hiawatha, Kansas, draws tourists from near and far. Statues surrounding the memorial show Mr. and Mrs. John Davis at various stages in their lives. Whether built as a true tribute to his late wife or as an act of spite remains a mystery! Photo credit: Livin’ Life with Lori (where more information can be found about the Davis Memorial).
Another Kansas eccentric, S.P. Dinsmoor, built this pyramidal tomb of native limestone (curiously cut to resemble logs) and reinforced concrete, similar to his adjacent house (previously posted about). One may enter the crypt during tours and view the decomposing Mr. Dinsmoor through a small glass window in his casket. Photo courtesy of Google Street View.
The eternal resting place of New York hotelier Harry Helmsley and his wife, Leona (a.k.a. the Queen of Mean). The neo-Greek Revival structure is suitably icy. Photo source: Gravely Speaking
This is the sort of mausoleum that is common to most larger cemeteries. Comprised of enormous slabs of stone, typically granite, they provide dignity on a modest scale. The iron gates convey a somber tone. Similar designs are still built with frequency today.
Not surprisingly, many mausoleums have embraced a pyramidal form. This one is in California and has a delightful Egyptian Revival entry. Photo credit: Devon Apple
Probably the world’s most famous mausoleum, India’s Taj Mahal was built for the favorite wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and was commissioned in 1632, taking about twenty years to complete.
And, finally, a modest mausoleum which is bermed and built with rubble stone and mortar. Not far from the elementary school I attended as a kid, this mausoleum was well-known in town. My friends and I would dare each other to approach the iron gate. I finally did, and saw a dank interior which was filled with leaves. It appears that not much has changed since then. Designed to “sleep” six, there are three vaults on each side of the entry. It was way spooky, even in the daytime! Photo credit: Dixie Stephenson
Fun tour! Especially the unusual pyramids. I’ve long enjoyed visiting cemeteries with elaborate monuments (including mausoleums). In my hometown of Harrisburg, PA there were two wealthy and influential leading families (with naturally some rivalries) in the 19th and early 20th century, the Camerons and the McCormicks. They each constructed mausoleums in the city cemetery. One family’s is built into the earth from the side of a hill with the doors overlooking the city view. The other mausoleum is — directly on top. So one family, in the end, came out on top — but right now I don’t recall which one it is!
I suspect that a lot of rivalries and grudges continue in the afterlife! I found this photo on findagrave.com which might show the Cameron monument (appears to be an obelisk) above what might be the McCormick mausoleum below (barely visible in photo). Fun story, even if I don’t have the right Cameron!
What a great post. The observatory one is pretty cool. I used to live near a huge, wonderful old cemetery in the hills of Oakland CA and there were a lot of great markers and mausoleums. Many looked out onto the San Francisco Bay–a nice “view” to have for one’s eternal rest.
I’d bet that more than a few real estate developers have fantasized about building in that location! Part of a cemetery was relocated about 20 years ago in a suburb of Chicago to allow for commercial development (to the righteous dismay of many). Thankfully that does not happen often, and when it does such grave relocations are done to facilitate road construction or some other government project. Many formerly peaceful cemeteries in bucolic settings have been later surrounded by urban sprawl; few at the time could envision such a future. Thankfully, few have pockets deep enough to move graves on a regular basis! Old cemeteries have a genuine beauty to them unlike most of their newer counterparts with markers flush to the ground.
And in Chicago, we have Lincoln park, which was a cemetery in the early days, and still houses the Couch family tomb. They just had an article in the Trib – they don’t know how many, if any Couches are in that tomb (somewhere between 0-12)….and, they know they did not actually get all of the deceased moved when they converted the area into a park. Good article. Graceland Cemetery here is full of great architecture – I know the architect who recently redid the family crypt of one of the prominent families. Funny to think that grave architecture needs to be maintained as well. Makes sense, but I had never really thought about it. White marble needs to be cleaned and tuck pointed.
Hmmmm…. perhaps “eternity” isn’t always eternal! I guess giant slabs of granite will last longer without routine maintenance than white marble, but if there are no groundskeeepers in the future nature will eventually take its course.
You aren’t kidding about the significance of the architecture to be found in Graceland Cemetery! I’ve never visited Graceland, but have been drooling over images of the place. The mausoleum designed by Louis Sullivan for Carrie Eliza Getty is astounding:
Thanks for the video link! It’s kind of sad, but at least the cemetery is still intact. It seems to be overlooked by mall shoppers — perhaps because often the best place to hide something is in plain sight. I agree that the mausoleum near my former school would be high-risk at night!
The Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY has some really fantastic mausoleums (better buildings than the living housing in the area) as well as a beautiful gate house. I could spend days walking around there. Lots of famous “guests” staying there, as well.
You’re not kidding about that gate house; it’s fantastic… Gothic Revival at its spookiest! A plaque on the gate attributes it to English-born architect Richard M. Upjohn, so that explains a lot. It was built in 1861. Below is a link to Google Street View… you can “drive” up to the gate and go through it, but then you have to turn around. Worth exploring! Thanks.
Fun tour! Especially the unusual pyramids. I’ve long enjoyed visiting cemeteries with elaborate monuments (including mausoleums). In my hometown of Harrisburg, PA there were two wealthy and influential leading families (with naturally some rivalries) in the 19th and early 20th century, the Camerons and the McCormicks. They each constructed mausoleums in the city cemetery. One family’s is built into the earth from the side of a hill with the doors overlooking the city view. The other mausoleum is — directly on top. So one family, in the end, came out on top — but right now I don’t recall which one it is!
I suspect that a lot of rivalries and grudges continue in the afterlife! I found this photo on findagrave.com which might show the Cameron monument (appears to be an obelisk) above what might be the McCormick mausoleum below (barely visible in photo). Fun story, even if I don’t have the right Cameron!
What a great post. The observatory one is pretty cool. I used to live near a huge, wonderful old cemetery in the hills of Oakland CA and there were a lot of great markers and mausoleums. Many looked out onto the San Francisco Bay–a nice “view” to have for one’s eternal rest.
I’d bet that more than a few real estate developers have fantasized about building in that location! Part of a cemetery was relocated about 20 years ago in a suburb of Chicago to allow for commercial development (to the righteous dismay of many). Thankfully that does not happen often, and when it does such grave relocations are done to facilitate road construction or some other government project. Many formerly peaceful cemeteries in bucolic settings have been later surrounded by urban sprawl; few at the time could envision such a future. Thankfully, few have pockets deep enough to move graves on a regular basis! Old cemeteries have a genuine beauty to them unlike most of their newer counterparts with markers flush to the ground.
And in Chicago, we have Lincoln park, which was a cemetery in the early days, and still houses the Couch family tomb. They just had an article in the Trib – they don’t know how many, if any Couches are in that tomb (somewhere between 0-12)….and, they know they did not actually get all of the deceased moved when they converted the area into a park. Good article. Graceland Cemetery here is full of great architecture – I know the architect who recently redid the family crypt of one of the prominent families. Funny to think that grave architecture needs to be maintained as well. Makes sense, but I had never really thought about it. White marble needs to be cleaned and tuck pointed.
Hmmmm…. perhaps “eternity” isn’t always eternal! I guess giant slabs of granite will last longer without routine maintenance than white marble, but if there are no groundskeeepers in the future nature will eventually take its course.
You aren’t kidding about the significance of the architecture to be found in Graceland Cemetery! I’ve never visited Graceland, but have been drooling over images of the place. The mausoleum designed by Louis Sullivan for Carrie Eliza Getty is astounding:
Another one in the Chicago area is a cemetery surrounded by the parking lot at Yorktown Mall in Lombard. It was too expensive to move.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5GnPQGwzCw
The best one you posted was the one by your school. You know the ghosts are coming out of that gate at night.
Thanks for the video link! It’s kind of sad, but at least the cemetery is still intact. It seems to be overlooked by mall shoppers — perhaps because often the best place to hide something is in plain sight. I agree that the mausoleum near my former school would be high-risk at night!
The Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY has some really fantastic mausoleums (better buildings than the living housing in the area) as well as a beautiful gate house. I could spend days walking around there. Lots of famous “guests” staying there, as well.
You’re not kidding about that gate house; it’s fantastic… Gothic Revival at its spookiest! A plaque on the gate attributes it to English-born architect Richard M. Upjohn, so that explains a lot. It was built in 1861. Below is a link to Google Street View… you can “drive” up to the gate and go through it, but then you have to turn around. Worth exploring! Thanks.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6591336,-73.9957062,3a,75y,135.68h,92.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDs8oc-ZMkK7BTAfg9VCQvA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192