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I am on a campaign to “Make Cemeteries Cool Places to Hang Out in Again” and I want you to join me. Cemeteries and graveyards have become pretty much synonymous with creepy, spooky, sad, Halloween hangouts, and other various dark and morbid words. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do love those qualities in a good cemetery, but the history of cemeteries hasn’t always carried such taboos.
It’s hard to believe now, but American cemeteries and graveyards were once the closest places to modern-day parks that people could find. Before Mount Auburn Cemetery was built in 1831, America had no cemeteries. It's not that Americans didn't bury their dead—just that large, modern, decorated cemeteries like it did not exist. There were many burial grounds scattered throughout the US, and of course churches had their own graveyards but, once we had Mount Auburn, the movement to build more like it began.
This was during a time when botanical gardens, art museums, and public parks weren’t options for people to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a city or the steady and hard workweeks of a rural farm town. So these new cemeteries were great options to take a stroll with your family, a beau, or friend in order to spend time outside and potentially visit some old/lost friends. Nowadays we have an abundance of options for places to take walks, go for a bike ride, picnic, etc. while surrounded by beautiful sights of tall trees, creeks, and maybe even some art installations or live music. Older cemeteries tend to still have this sense of artistic flair that one may see in modern-day public parks such as gardens, shady trees, water fountains, large statues, or other imagery to admire on a walk or picnic with friends and family. So, with that said, don’t discount them as an option on your next outing!
Another reason we should take a leaf out of our social history books is that our time and situations are fairly similar to those our ancestors faced. According to Atlas Obscura, one of the reasons why spending time in cemeteries became a popular pastime in the nineteenth century was that epidemics were raging across the country: Yellow fever and cholera flourished, children passed away before turning 10, and women died during childbirth. Death was a constant visitor for many families, and in cemeteries, people could “talk” and break bread with family and friends, both living and deceased. And well, you know me, I’m always an advocate for finding safe and welcoming ways to talk about our mortality and fears surrounding death.
This idea of finding ways to utilize these spaces in other ways isn’t too big of a hurdle to jump. There are some cemeteries that are bringing life back into their grounds by hosting events and concerts among their graves and large ornate mausoleums. Hollywood Forever, one of Los Angeles’ oldest cemeteries and the final resting place to stars such as Judy Garland, Anton Yelchin, Burt Reynolds, and more, often has concerts, movie screenings, and other large events throughout the year that are open to the public with ticket purchases. It has also been featured in TV shows such as American Horror Story, the Talking Dead, and (oddly enough) Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
So, between picnics, concerts, bike trails, and more; don’t discount the multiple uses of a good cemetery. Now tell me, have I convinced you to join the campaign to turn cemeteries into cool places to hang out again?
Memento Mori,
Nikki
