Thursday, October 14, 2010

Visiting Chicago Historical Cemeteries

Chicago is home to historical cemeteries. They were established from a long city history. One nearly as long as the United States. Visiting Chicago historical cemeteries gives one a feel for the past that is effected only by weather. That is not why it is called the windy city. The politicians were windy.
Chicago has the free civic institutions. The Grant Park Orchestra, Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory. Lincoln Park is the name of the neighborhood surrounding De Paul University. Lincoln Park is also the name of its lakefront parkland starting south of the zoo at North Ave. going all the way to the northern end at Ardmore.
The south end of Lincoln park at North Avenue going north to the Lincoln Park Children's Zoo was where City Cemetery had graves. Lake Park was later named Lincoln Park after the graves from City Cemetery were moved to other remote cemeteries located outside the city. There are still unidentified remains buried in the park. Still people enjoy Lincoln Park. It and Central Park in New York City were designed by the same landscape architect genius, Frederick Law Olmsted.
There are three historical Chicago cemeteries. On the south side is Oakwoods Cemetery which has a massive confederate prisoner of war mass burial. The north side has two cemeteries. Rosehill Cemetery and Graceland Cemetery. All three have industrialists and politicians. Around the time of the Great Chicago Fire, these cemeteries were in the country far outside of the city boundaries. Chicago was the size of the Loop, its present downtown area.
The burials were of wealthy industrialists in the early history of Chicago. The wealthy would commission a noted sculptural artist like Lorado Taft or an architect like Louis Sullivan. Some were famous mail order business owners like Aaron Montgomery Ward of Wards, Richard W. Sears and Alva C. Roebuck of Sears. Montgomery Ward fought affluent neighbors and in the courts to make Chicago's lakefront free and clear for all the residents to enjoy. Chicago has most of its lakefront for parks and recreation. Most other big cities with waterfronts use them for shipping and industry.
The motion picture industry started in Chicago before it moved to Hollywood. Two movies were filmed in Chicago cemeteries. The movies Next of Kin starred Patrick Swayze and US Marshals with Wesley Snipes. They were filmed in different cemeteries on the north side of Chicago.
In visiting Chicago historical cemeteries, you will find the past history, observe great monumental memorial sculpture and architecture. Serene and inviting, these "rural" cemeteries that were planned by park planners. A park like landscape with monumental works by commissioned architects and artists.


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