Monthly Archives: October 2014

Happy Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

To commemorate Halloween, I wanted to revisit two monuments that I have written about earlier. The monument above, sculpted by Lorado Taft, one of the premier sculptors of his day, was created to honor Dexter Graves, an early Chicago pioneer.  The bronze figure … Continue reading →

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A Pioneer

Posted on October 28, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

Inscription at the base of the monument: THE ATLAS AS SHOWN HERE, IS TO THE EXACT SCALE OF THE ORIGINAL MISSILE THE PIONEER ATLAS (INTO ORBIT WITH 122-POUND PAY LOAD, DECEMBER 18, 1958)  Inscription on the back of the monument: … Continue reading →

Posted in Famous graves, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

“That’s All Folks”

Posted on October 25, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

What Lon Chaney, master of makeup, was to faces, Mel Blanc was to voices. That is, Blanc was the man of a thousand voices. Voices every child knows instantly—the wisecracking Bugs Bunny chewing on the end of a carrot with … Continue reading →

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The Pyramid: Monumental Architecture

Posted on October 22, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

This is my 500th post. So, to commemorate the occasion, I wanted to write about something monumental. When it comes to funerary sculpture and architecture, nothing is more monumental than the pyramid.  The Egyptians knew how to bury their dead, … Continue reading →

Posted in Mausoleums, Symbolism | 3 Comments

Cross and the Crown

Posted on October 17, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

The Gothic-style Miller family monument in the Glendale Cemetery at Akron, Ohio, is inscribed, “Be Thou Faithful Unto Death and I Will Give Thee a Crown of Life”. That message is further reinforced by the mourning figure atop the monument … Continue reading →

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Reach for the sky

Posted on October 16, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

This small monument is dedicated to the memory of a infant girl, the epitaph too faint and eroded to read clearly, is in the form of a bed.  The covers are pulled aside and the pillow still has an indentation where the … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Graves, Symbolism | 1 Comment

Eternal Sleep

Posted on October 14, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

The most poignant and tender gravestones are those for children.  In the 1850s, the mortality rates for children under one year, were estimated at over 200 deaths per thousand, with much higher mortality rates for children under 5. Here, is … Continue reading →

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Anchor

Posted on October 12, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

The anchor is an ancient Christian symbol that has been found in early catacomb burials.  The anchor was used by early Christians as a disguised cross.  The anchor also served as a symbol of Christ and his anchoring influence in … Continue reading →

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From Monumental to Simplicity

Posted on October 7, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I. O. O. F.) is a fraternal organization that formed in England in the 1700s as a service organization. The American association was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 26, 1819. According to the I.O.O.F. … Continue reading →

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Glass Angel

Posted on October 3, 2014 by gravelyspeaking

This stained-glass window from the Neo-classical Doric style Loring Family mausoleum in the Rosehill Cemetery at Chicago, Illinois, depicts an angel in contemplative prayer. The stained-glass window is ripe with Christian symbolism. It is always difficult to look at a … Continue reading →

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