"A New and Useful Burial Crypt:" The American Community Mausoleum

Summary

A community mausoleum is an above ground communal burial structure. The modern community mausoleum can trace its roots back to 1906, when William Hood patented and built his "new and useful burial crypt" in a Ganges, Ohio cemetery. Hood formed the National Mausoleum Company to build additional structures, but also faced competition from competing firms trying to capitalize on the new community mausoleum craze. In a little over five years, more than 100 community mausoleums were built -- by 1915, the number rose to over 200.

This lecture will trace the development of the community mausoleum from its beginnings in Ohio to its proliferation throughout the country. It will examine the architectural designs of these structures, highlighting some well known architects like Cecil Bryan and Sidney Lovell. The public reaction to the trend, both positive and negative, will also be discussed.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• "Spirits of the Dead": The Historical Archaeology of Cemeteries and Commemoration   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 294