Notes

Redefining the Cemetery Concept
At the advent of the 21st century, the cemetery concept has been redefined, where cemeteries are no more just repositories for the dead. Consequently, a growing amount of cemeteries are transforming themselves into multipurpose facilities where funerals, interment, and cremation are just among the services they provide. The extension of hospitality services to embrace tourism, photography, and passive recreation (e.g. jogging, walking, reading, quiet contemplation) and include weddings, baptisms, bar- and bat-mitzvahs, private parties, business seminars, lectures, and even floral shows, festivals, holiday specials, and concerts could be attributed to a variety of factors:

1. Culture - the perception of death has changed from an inevitable somber event into a celebration of life, sharing of treasured memories and a chance to acquaint oneself with prodigal friends and relatives (though not without tears).

2. Environs - the construction of bright comforting climate-controlled mausoleums and creation of serene cheerful urn gardens are challenging and supplanting the paradigm that cemeteries you need to desolate, melancholy tombstone filled repositories. Many making use of their picturesque landscapes comprised of "magnificent trees, rolling hills, glacial lakes," ponds, gorgeous fountains, and even wildlife and museums are "oases amid the sprawl of modern development."[1]

3. Historical - making use of their interred, and array of architecture and monuments, cemeteries give a connection to the past and documentary of the evolution of human history, perceptions, and emotions as captured by the changing architecture ranging from simple, weathered 18th century tombstones, elaborate (sometimes eroding) 19th century mausoleums and sculpted angels and allegorical figures, 20th century rediscovery of simplicity, and 21st century photographic and also interactive (audio and video on demand) tombstones.

4. Financial - To help ease its annual operating deficit of $100,000+ Oakwood Cemetery (Troy, NY) held a daffodil brunch in the Gardener Earl Memorial Chapel and Crematorium known because of its Siena marble walls and spectacular Tiffany windows, and an outdoor Renaissance Fair featuring knights in armor. Other cemeteries are following the same model and so are also building state-of-the-art mausoleums to boost efficiency.

5. Many older cemeteries especially those nearing the end of these active lives because they deplete their available burial space need to reinvent themselves to make sure continued financial viability.

Currently, several schools now even offer cemetery studies and/or have field trips to cemeteries with the aim of encouraging appreciation of the unique historical perspective of a specific place. As a result, Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, NY) among others offers "opportunities for students studying Art History, Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture, Archival Records, American History, American Culture along with other related fields."

In accordance with one teacher, Cara Bafile, the annual class trip to the cemetery has "turn into a looked forward to tradition [in which some beg to go back]." School trips to the cemetery, though aren't new. Back in the early 1970s among the author's school field trips was to a local cemetery where every student was in awe of the biggest graves as we looked at the many markers for style and age (e.g. what's the oldest tombstone, who lived the longest, etc.).

Tourism:

Though tourism to cemeteries may seem morbid to some, in the words of Jessica Ravitch, Cemeteries breathe life into tourists (CNN 2008), it "can be inspirational [and] life-affirming... [It can be] a brief history and architecture lesson [because they are exceptional archives of human and architectural history - thus The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers guided tours of seven of the City's cemeteries charging between $5 to $30 per person], a cultural appreciation course, a genealogical journey and a source of relaxation." Some even view it as something to those who cannot make the trip and a reminder of the preciousness of life. "Many people find great peace and solace in visiting cemeteries even if their own relatives are not buried there," said Janet Heywood, trustee for the Association for Gravestone Studies in an article written by Benny Snyder, Tombstone tours: Have a look at these famous cemeteries (USA Today, 10 October 2009).

Cemeteries also maintain a connection to the past and even improve the learning experience as students and tourists stand next to the resting places of famous persons who made significant contributions during their lifetimes. It is as if they are right close to history. Per Gary Laderman, Professor of Religion at Emory University (Atlanta, GA) and author of Rest In Peace: A Cultural History of Death and the Funeral Home in the 20th Century, this is a "chance for civic engagement to overcome social isolation of historically significant places."

Furthermore, even though cemetery tourism is viewed as the brand new "in" thing or the latest trend, it really is hardly a fresh phenomenon. Many cemeteries such as P�re Lachaise (Paris, France) (established in 1804 by Napoleon Bonaparte) where Maria Callas, Modigliani, Fr�d�ric Chopin, and Oscar Wilde, among others, are buried, and Laurel Hill (Philadelphia, PA) have attracted throngs of tourists for pretty much two centuries. Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn, NY) at one point attracted a lot more than 500,000 visitors each year through the mid-to-late 1800s.

Key attractions to tourists and photographers are tombstones, architecture, sculptures (e.g. weeping maidens, angels) mausoleums, and necropolises in addition to concerts, lectures, floral shows, and holiday specials to name a few.

While large Victorian-era cemeteries such as Laurel Hill and Green-Wood as well as New Orleans' Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which goes back to 1789, (the latter two making use of their above ground tombs), are top attractions, small cemeteries and graveyards aren't without their very own treasures.

A quarterly newsletter, Tomb with a View that provides a nationwide report on cemetery tours is available for cemetery-centric tourists. It really is subscribed to for $15 per year from P.O. Box 24810, Lyndhurst, OH 44124.

Photography:

Cemetery photography, contrary to public perception, is mainstream and popular. It is even profitable enough that some companies specialize solely in cemetery photography. Accordingly Northstar Gallery's website reads they present "a collection of sensuous, fine art photos... of cemetery and memorial art from all over the world [that explore and offer] poetry and commentary [on] the historical role of memorial and cemetery art in man's have a problem with mortality, immortality, salvation, death and transcendence."

Also, consistent with tourism, cemetery photography (separate and distinct from post-mortem photography) goes back to the medium's infancy. It was not long following the daguerreotype was invented that photographers captured images of cemeteries. Southworth & Hawes, possibly the most well-known daguerreotypist duo captured a minimum of seven images from Mount Auburn Cemetery (Cambridge, MA). By the 1860s with the development of stereoview, cemetery photography gained in popularity with Green-Wood Cemetery and its own scenic views being a favorite among photographers.

Passive Recreation:

Passive recreational activities at cemeteries date back more than a century. During the Victorian-era (1837-1901), cemeteries were the primary venue when not the only real venue of a locale to take pleasure from passive recreational activities because so many cities had no arboretums, no parks, no museums. At one point so many visitors flocked to Laurel Hill that the cemetery had to issue gate passes and restrict Sunday visits to members of the family of the deceased.

In keeping with the continued popularity of cemeteries for passive recreational activities, Michael O'Hearn in Visit Mt. Auburn Cemetery writes, it "is a temporary retreat from the urban bustle right into a world of trees, birds, [chipmunks], rabbits and statuary. While it sounds unlikely, such places do exist... Mt. Auburn possesses a varied landscape, ponds and glens, hills and dells. The plantings and trees are so thick in places that from above they look like a forest. The monuments... show an array of styles and themes." Using its "winding roads and paths named after flowers and trees" Mt. Auburn (founded in 1831 and the country's first landscaped garden cemetery) defies connotations of the stereotypical graveyard.

Furthermore, a November 2009 letter from Executive Director Brian Sahd of Friends of the Woodlawn Cemetery (founded 1863 in the Bronx, NY) states, "Woodlawn can be an incredible resource for all those... [It is much] greater than a host to rest... [it is one of New York's greatest treasures - abundant with irreplaceable architecture, history, culture, and natural wonders... Its 400 acres of rolling hills and monumental architecture invite one to step into a world outside of time. Around every corner is another amazing unexpected discovery. The entire landscape literally is a visual feast of graceful beauty. A Greek temple follows an obelisk, associated with the delicate statue of entwined lovers. Azalea bushes bloom under towering elms and graceful willows. Bird songs accompany the play of cottontail rabbits, and chipmunks. A stone bridge spans a peaceful lagoon, surrounded by elegant reminders of New York City's greatness."

Weddings:

Cemetery weddings expand and redefine the paradigm - "...unto death do us part" since death need no longer separate spouses who can be buried together at their wedding site.

As with tourism, despite the fact that cemetery weddings are gaining wider acceptance and being held at more venues, they're not a new phenomenon. Since 1928 more than 60,000 weddings have already been performed at Forest Lawn Cemetery (LA, CA) alone.

When Lisa Rigby was requested to photograph Kate's and Daniel's wedding at Mount Auburn Cemetery, she was, in her words, "so excited." "Growing up, I spent so much time in a beautiful, rambling, landscaped cemetery near our house. For us kids the cemetery wasn't some spooky forbidden place. It was where we rode bikes in the summer and built snowmen in the wintertime. It was where we walked my cocker spaniel, ran and played, and sat to talk to friends for hours at a time... I always thought it was sad that a lot of people were afraid of the cemetery," she wrote on August 21, 2009 in a blog entry about Kate's and Daniel's wedding (which the writer can identify with having grown up with my brother close to a small historic cemetery for the initial seven years of my life in which the cemetery was the setting for most games of chase and hide-and-seek with the neighborhood kids and a lot safer compared to the parking lot nearby).

As well, Kate wrote, "[We] were married at Mount Auburn Cemetery... I know it may seem like an odd choice for a marriage, but it's a beautiful place, our favorite in Cambridge. When we walk through it, I think it is moving to take into account all the lives which are commemorated there."

When Sheryl and Kurt married in 1990 at Wisconsin Memorial Park's Chapel of Chimes using its church-like setting, vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and wall art depicting the final Supper that serves as an ingredient mausoleum and part museum, the groom thought it "perfectly normal and pretty neat" while the bride added, "our wedding was just like any other wedding" in accordance with an account compiled by William J. Lizdas in Married in a cemetery? Some adore the theory (JS Online, 20 May 2009).

With increasing numbers of cemeteries opening their gates to weddings, Spring Grove Cemetery's (Cincinnati, OH) website reads, "Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials... get more info offer a number of unique locations so that you can hold your ceremony. The Norman Chapel... built in 1880 boasts several beautiful stained glass windows... The Garden Courtyard... situated in the front area of the cemetery/arboretum... is planted with Hybrid Tea Roses, as well as other colorful annual flowers."

Symbolism and Changing Perceptions:

Cemeteries are replete with symbolism (which provide a means of coping with mortality and providing a semblance of control over death), carvings and epitaphs (used to reveal the deceased whom have been reduced to mere names (if they still exist on weathered tombstones) (e.g. "Here lies the remains of Hannah, the Wife of Solomon Gedney, who dep: this life April 1788 Aged 37 Yrs." and "Stop Reader Eer the Passeth this stone nor regardless be told that near its Bass (sic) lies deposited the remains of Mary Dixon, Wife of John Dixon, a female whose reputation was spotless and whose life was spent in the practice of virtue having by her unshaken fortitude and native independence of Soul commanded the esteem of most who knew her. She departed this life August 12th 1811 aged 53 years" etched on tombstones in Eleazor Gedney Burial Ground, Mamaroneck, NY) and the values, hopes (e.g. "She is not dead, the kid of our affection - But has gone to realms above" etched on a tombstone for Paulina, daughter of Charles and Sarah Ann Gedney who died on May 9, 1856 at 5 Years, four weeks, and 11 Days also at Eleazor Gedney Burial Ground, Mamaroneck, NY) and beliefs of past eras), both which arose with a need to remember the dead, and have changed with the ages as social perceptions and means of coping have evolved.

For instance, the skull and bones that found depict death for their use on tombstones in 18th century Spanish cemeteries were replaced by cherub heads by the mid 1800s because the concept of death became socially less terrifying and the weeping willow used to portray sorrow and mourning through the 18th century to mid 19th century were supplanted by other plants - especially lilies to shed a more positive light on death while symbolizing the resurrection and afterlife.

Common Victorian-era symbols that have gradually disappeared from use predicated on changing social tenets and demographics are lamenting and weeping women (since 19th century norms precluded men from showing emotion; consequently memorials utilizing men depicted them in a prominent light), using children and cherubs utilized to invoke sadness at the loss of a child, which had been common during those times, and prevalence of urn vessels (since an urn represented your body as a container that held the soul) and sometimes, though to a significantly lesser extent, other images draped with a pall (clothe used to cover a coffin).

Other symbols found in Victorian-era cemeteries are gates (symbol of the gates of Heaven), Celtic crosses (symbol of the four directions on a compass and mind, body, heart, and soul), birds in flight (symbol of the soul borne aloft), mourning doves (symbol of lamentation and even the Holy Spirit), wreathes (symbol of glory), crosses (symbol of the resurrection), and Star of David (symbol of redemption and of the Jewish people).

Angels remain used to "soften the finality of death" and to provide comfort. Some sit at each side of a grave with "heads bowed, as though guarding the bodies of departed souls" to help ease the gloom of subterranean tombs.[2]

Generally, today's symbolism no more views death being an inevitable finality where our mortality is lamented but instead as a fresh beginning due to hope of the afterlife ahead. As a result, angels and other allegorical figures often point skyward as a reminder that the deceased lives in Heaven and tombstones often portray biblical figures such as Jesus (the ultimate symbol of resurrection), Mary, Joseph and biblical scenes such as The Last Supper, the Pieta, and Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Other graves are marked by tombstones or ground markers that include sculpted images, etched or embossed photographs, with some high-tech tombstones consisting of even audio (of the deceased speaking) or video (of important moments of a deceased's life) played upon demand.

Mausolea:

Consistent with changing cemetery symbolism, mausolea (which date back again to 353 BC when Queen Artemisia II built the world's most splendid tomb as a tribute to her late husband, King Mausolus of Caria) have also evolved through the ages from dark, gloomy, forbidden places that held the remains of prominent families and a few members of the public (when space was available) to multi-story edifices built designed for the public with bright, ambient d�cor made to appeal to the living.

Prior to the advent of new mausolea that began in the early 20th century, famous Greeks and Romans built their own mausolea for centuries until the rise of Christianity, in which only saints were permitted to possess monuments (typically churches) built at their graves. However, commencing in the 19th century, wealthy Americans revived the practice and although such 19th and early 20th century mausolea appeared impressive externally, they often contains dark, narrow, tiny spaces that in the words of Jack Naudi, New mausoleum keep living in mind (Post-Dispatch, November 6, 2003) were "cold and uninviting to the living."

However, with the new generation of mausolea (with built-in skylights, stained-glass windows, plush furniture, and cheery brightness) that consist of family crypts, single crypts, niches, and urn cabinets (the latter two for cremated remains), above ground entombment, which includes been popular in Europe for centuries and essential for New Orleans cemeteries because of the location below sea level, is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and elements of Asia. Thus these new mausolea are adding to the cemetery experience because of the appealing nature and income because of the efficiency of space.

Conclusion:

With the redefining of the cemetery concept aimed at maximizing their appeal and services to the living, cemeteries are no more mere repositories for the dead. Instead they're multipurpose facilities which are linked to the communities they serve, bringing people together beyond the constraints of death while promising an unforgettable, comforting experience to all who suck up their striking scenery, view their rich history and architecture, research genealogy and changing social perceptions through tourism, photography, and passive recreation, not to mention remember their beloved dead. At the same time, they are providing serene, tasteful resting places for the deceased that even the living can look forward to when our inevitable day arrives.

20 Notable Cemeteries:

1. Arlington National Park - Arlington, VA, USA
2. Bonaventure Cemetery - Savannah, GA, USA
3. Crown Hill Cemetery - Indianapolis, IN, USA
4. Forest Lawn Cemetery - LA, CA, USA
5. Green-Wood Cemetery - Brooklyn, NY, USA
6. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 - New Orleans, LA, USA
7. Lake View Cemetery - Cleveland, OH, USA
8. Laurel Hill Cemetery - Philadelphia, USA
9. Montparnasse Cemetery - Paris, France
10. Monumental Cemetery - Milan, Italy
11. Mount Auburn Cemetery - Cambridge, MA
12. Mount Hope Cemetery - Rochester, NY
13. Novodevichye Cemetery - Moscow, Russia
14. Oakland Cemetery - Atlanta, GA, USA
15. Old Granary Burying Ground - Boston, MA, USA
16. P�re Lachaise Cemetery - Paris, France
17. Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery - Los Angeles, CA, USA
18. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 - New Orleans, LA, USA
19. Steglieno Cemetery - Genoa, Italy
20. Woodlawn Cemetery - Bronx, NY, USA

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[1] Paul Lukas. Additional hints Why Sightseers regard cemetery tours as a worthwhile, ahem, undertaking. CNN Money.com. 1 May 2000. 31 October 2009. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2000/05/01/278219/index.htm

[2] Ed Snyder. The Afterlife Referenced in Cemetery Symbolism (Part 1). 22 May 2006. 5 November 2009. http://www.stoneangels.net/?p=29

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