Cemeteries: Creepy or Cool?

I've visited many cemeteries in Illinois, Wisconsin and even Florida. What about you?

I have a confession to make. I love going to cemeteries. Is that weird? I know some of you are probably thinking that cemeteries are too creepy. I know I've definitely been to some creepy cemeteries. But they're also interesting historically and architecturally. Take, for example, Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. Take a driving or walking tour around the cemetery and you'll see some big names. Marshall Field. George Pullman. Louis Sullivan. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The monuments are just as big. One of the most famous is a statue of a cloaked figure at the burial site of Dexter Graves. It's pretty amazing! But, of course, I do often visit these cemeteries for their legends and (alleged) hauntings. One of the coolest I've been to is Rosehill…

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Huntley Historical Notes

Gravestones Not Ghoulish, But Beautiful to Expert

Local woman explores gravestone art and its history at Huntley cemeteries.

 At Halloween our thoughts often turn to graveyards and cemeteries, usually in a ghoulish way.  But Laurel Mellien sees things differently.  She sees the beauty and significant details of historic headstone art. She understands the meaning behind such headstone images as clasped hands, shrouded urns and sheaves of wheat. "I love cemeteries," Laurel said. "I don't really think about the dead bodies. I see art, antiques, poetry in the form of epitaphs, history of an area and a people, genealogy. I view cemeteries as open air art museums with no admission. When I enter a cemetery I have never been in before I feel the excitement. What will I find?" Laurel's headstone art research is a passion, a fascination for a subject on which she has …

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Gloria Antonelli

4:50 pm on Wednesday, October 27, 2010

I too have photographed gravestone art. One of my favorite place is Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. There many of the wealthy Chicago families are laid to rest with beautiful carved stone work and statues.   more ›