Weekly Reflection - Week 2

This week, I was struck by the pure artistic aspects of Spring Grove. I have been an amateur photographer for about twelve years, but have put it aside for a few years. As we walked around this week, inspiration crashed into my head. The artist in me that had been hibernating began to reawaken.

Like every other artistic pursuit I have been involved in, I am a bit rusty. But even as we walked on a rainy, grey day, I began to see the beauty. The way the trees and flowers provided a backdrop, the shadows and the sun that would give excellent contrast on a sunny day, the details and textures of the monuments, all provided excellent fodder for my reemergence into the world of photography.

Specializing in black and white film photography, and knowing the exact outdoor conditions required, I realized that class would not be the optimal time to explore. So on Friday, after driving to four different places looking for black and white film, I returned to Spring Grove. I repeated almost the exact same path we followed the previous Wednesday, and explored for myself. While I am still surprised I did not get lost (although my roommate did!), I did discover things I overlooked on Wednesday. I am also sure there is so much more I have missed.

I can’t wait to get into the older areas. I would like to see how the structures, forms, and mediums of the monuments have changed over time. 

I never thought I would find beauty in death, but I am beginning to.

Here are a few of my pictures taken from the last class section. The three rolls of black and white film I took on Friday will have to go to be processed; I will post them (if any of them are any good) as soon as I get them back.

Video of Ostrocised Person?

It wouldn't let me add this video to the last post, so giving this a try.

Why is she so far from the rest of her family?

First Exploration

           Beautiful flowers, a massive pond complete with fountain and large Koi, and weathered trees and bushes surrounded the section of the cemetery explored by my partner and I. As we walked through one of the original sections of the cemetery, the history of our city sprung up around us. Those that developed the cultural hub of Cincinnati are buried spaciously around the lake, most with a view of the water.

            The headstones, mausoleums, and statues that we passed touched on the history and development of our city. We passed the elaborate Dexter mausoleum, as well as the McAlpin monument, the Fleischmann temple, the West monument, and the Erkenbrecher monument. The founders of institutions such as the zoo, the art museum, the Tyler Davidson fountain, and the cemetery are buried within this section. We walked a road map of Cincinnati, as many of the names we passed are reflected in the street names and prominent buildings of our city.

            The park atmosphere was also heavily present in this section. Although the large pond that was the centerpiece of the section appears to have been neglected, it may have been used for wading, boating, and fishing. The shady spaces between the family plots provide a perfect area for a Sunday afternoon picnic. Families have strategically placed benches as their monuments, with views of the lake. The family plots contained within this section are spaced out, which added to the park-like atmosphere of our examination.

            There were many different heritages and artistic influences observed in this area. The Fleischmann temple is a replica of the Greek Parthenon. The Dexter mausoleum is Gothic in nature. We also passed a few statues that seemed to be roman in nature. The engravings placed on headstones further showed different cultural areas, beliefs, and professions by the placement of Greek letters.

            My partner and I spent much of our time trying to decipher the familial relationships. The family plots were arranged in many different manners. Some resembled spokes in a wheel, others appeared more “family tree” and linear in arrangement. We passed one plot that we had to wonder of one of the members was ostracized, due to the amount of space between the rest of the family and her burial site (If this site lets me, I will add the video I took of this). In the era that most of the people buried here lived, lifespans were shorter, but sometimes dates did not match up easily. We found graves of those who died before the opening of Spring Grove and we wondered how that was possible, or if the person was actually buried there. We concluded prosperous sons had their progenitors exhumed from where they were originally buried and moved there for easy visitation or simply erected a monument to show linage. We asked as we walked, who were these people? What did they do? How did a name we did not recognize afford a prime burial spot?

            We attempted to take note of everything we observed, but there was simply far too much to see to fully take it all in. The beauty of this area simply left us feeling as if we went for a brief stroll through a garden. We believe this area is indicative of the dual purpose of this cemetery. One can get so lost in its beauty and history, that you almost forget that there are people buried underneath your feet. 

                                          Flowers we saw, wondered what type they were.

                                                Stained Glass inside the Fleischmann Mausoleum

                                                                 Perpetual Care?

                                                       Still Alive??? Or buried elsewhere?

                                                             Great views of the lake

                                                          Greek Letters on Monuments

                                                                        Big Fishies!

                                                                  Random Statue

                                                                Dexter Mausoleum

                                                         What's the deal with the ivy?

Personal Reflection

            Not being from around here, (I grew up in North Carolina), Spring Grove is a fairly new experience for me. I have been there once before, but did not take the time to fully explore what it was all about. The first class showed me how little I really know. Even within the area that I explored with my partner, there was so much I didn’t know. Luckily, my partner was knowledgeable and was able to point things out to me that I may have otherwise missed.

            Many of the people in our section contributed greatly to our city. Those whose names I recognized, such as Hughes and McAlpin, were fairly easy to decipher. Others, such as West, who founded the art museum, I would have had no idea who he was if it were not inscribed on the monument.

            I do have a love for local history and facts, I simply do not know enough about Cincinnati yet. I don’t know if they do it here, but in North Carolina, around the 3^rd or 4^th grade, we had a whole unit about local history.  If the same applies here, I missed it.  So I am left to discover it for myself. I have done the “Ride the Ducks” and “Cincinnati Underground” tours, which are both extremely fun and interesting. I really want to do the “Queen City is Haunted” tour.

            Hopefully, through this course, I will gain greater knowledge into the history of this city. I want to fully immerse myself in the culture of Cincinnati. I feel that the city has a lot to offer, and I can’t wait to discover what it is.

20 Questions

Well, 21. I may come up with more, but here is a start.

1. Why are there statues with no names or other point of reference?

2. Why are the graves/family plots so far away from each other?

3. Were bodies moved here from other cemeteries after the Spring Grove was built?

4. Why are there monuments to those that don’t appear to be buried here?

5. Why are mausoleums locked?

6. Why build a large monument/mausoleum and not put a name on it?

7. What is the purpose of giving the dead a “view”?

8. Why are there large, elaborate monuments coupled with plain headstones?

9. Does the order people are buried in have any significance?

10. Why are some buried in a circle?

11. Where did the idea for mausoleums and under-the-earth burials come from?

12. Why not have separate burial/park sections?

13. Why do people build statues/monuments to themselves?

14. What is the purpose of the different sections of the cemetery?

15. Why are there no flowers or vases for flowers?

16. What is the purpose of ivy on the ground? Does the shape of the ivy have any significance?

17. How much does it cost to build a mausoleum or monument? To be buried here?

18. What does a “perpetual care” cement circle mean?

19. Why do cemeteries have a “bad” reputation?

20. Why is there a gate around the cemetery?

21. Where did we get the idea of ghosts/zombies/vampires and other “undead” creatures?

Initial Thoughts

                Growing up in the generation of R.L. Stine and Are You Afraid of the Dark, I grew up under the notion that cemeteries were to be feared. Immediately upon entering a cemetery, you would be surrounded by ghosts and various other bump-in-the-night creatures that wanted nothing more than to have you “join” them in their supernatural form.  About the time I was twelve, it was passed around on the school bus that you should never breathe while passing a cemetery, because you would breathe in the souls of the dead and become possessed. We passed a very large cemetery on the way to school. Would I be able to hold my breath the whole time? What would happen if I took a tiny gasp of air? Maybe then only a baby ghost could possess me. After a few weeks of several of us turning blue on the bus, I decided I had had enough. The next time we passed this cemetery, I made it a point to take giant gulps of air the whole time, while my fellow bus riders looked on in horror. As soon as we cleared the cemetery, I turned to them and said in my best demonic voice, “Hello,” and dissolved in a fit of laughter. When the initial shock died down, and everyone realized I wasn’t really possessed, it became a game. Every day after passing the cemetery, we would all take the persona's of those we thought were buried there.

                My breath-holding bus buddies and I were pulled in by the general “creepiness” of the cemetery idea. We couldn’t help it. Most of us are at least a little scared by the thought of death. I think I will always be kind of weird-ed out by cemeteries. Where did we get this idea to dig a hole for the dead, and then cover them with dirt and cement?

                Of course, as we grow, our thoughts and perceptions of things change. In thinking about the questions that this course raises, such as “Why do we have cemeteries?”  and “What purpose do cemeteries serve?” I have reached a two-fold conclusion. First, I believe that cemeteries exist so we feel that we will be remembered. In the grand scheme of things, we are on earth for a very brief amount of time. We want our lives to mean something; we want to know that we made an impact on this world. Secondly, they serve as place where those who have lost a loved one can go and remember who the person was to them. Cemeteries are not for the dead, they are for the living.

                 Cemeteries are a collection of monuments meant to represent people’s lives. Epitaphs and symbols are carved into headstones and are there to memorialize the people buried beneath them. They are cryptic to those who do not have knowledge of the person. Personally, I feel like it is like looking at a page of someone’s diary that I have never met. It gives a brief glimpse into their life, but what does it really mean? Only those who are acquainted with the person will know the true meaning.

                Although cemeteries may never lose that “creepy” quality for me, I am still fascinated by them. I want more information. How did they die? Who remembers them? What does this mean? Who was this person? There are many mysteries waiting to be uncovered. I want to read the whole diary, not just a page.