Chicago Cemetery Tour

My wife, Danialle, borrowed Graveyards of Chicago: The People, History, Art, and Lore of Cook County Cemeteries from the local Chicago Public Library and when she was finished reading it she gave it to me. After reading the book, I thought it would be a fun adventure to visit and photograph every cemetery listed in the book. Not just quick “snapshots” of markers and monuments, but photographs that had composition and a “fine art” sensibility.

My interest in cemeteries, and more specifically photographing them, began when I was in High School. In 1994, my sophomore year, I signed-up for the intro to photography class. To start my photographic journey, my parents bought me a used Minolta SR-T SC-II SLR camera and a 50mm, ƒ/2 lens. The first place I photographed was Oak Hill Cemetery, the largest cemetery in my hometown and the final resting place for Major General and author of Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, Lewis “Lew” Wallace.

Danialle and I, started our adventure April 18th, 2008, beginning with Rosehill Cemetery. We have been visiting an average of two cemeteries a weekend.

Cemeteries that have been visited are listed in red.

I. NORTH

City North

• Chicago City Cemetery (closed during the 1870’s)
• Graceland Cemetery
• Jewish Graceland Cemetery
• Wunder’s Cemetery
• St. Boniface Cemetery
• Rosehill Cemetery
• St. Henry Cemetery
• Montrose Cemetery
• Bohemian National Cemetery
• Beth-El Cemetery
• Ridgelawn Cemetery

Metro North

• Calvary Cemetery
• Church of the Holy Comforter
• Fort Sheridan Cemetery
• Memorial Park Cmetery
• St. Adalbert Cemetery
• Town of Maine Cemetery
  
• Sunset Memorial Park
• All Saints Cemetery
• Shalom Memorial Park

II. WEST

City West

• All Saints Polish National Catholic Cemetery
• St. Nicholas Ukrainian Cemetery
• St. John’s/St. Johannes Cemetery
• Rest Haven Cemetery
• Cook County Poor Farm and Insane Asylum
• Robinson Woods Indian Burial Ground
• Westlawn Cemetery
• Acacia Park Cemetery
• Irving Park Cemetery
• Mount Olive Cemetery

Metro West

• St. Joesph Cemetery
• Elmwood Cemetery
• Forest Home/German Waldheim Cemetery
• Jewish Waldheim Cemetery
• Woodlawn Cemetery
• Concordia Cemetery
• Altenheim Cemetery
• Mount Auburn Cemtery
• Mount Emblem Cemetery
• Elm Lawn Cemetery
• Arlington Cemetery
• Oak Ridge Cemetery
• Mount Carmel Cemetery
• Queen of Heaven Cemetery
• Hinsdale Animal Cemetery
• Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery (not listed in book)
• Oakridge/Glen Oak Cemetery (not listed in book)

III. SOUTH

City South

• Oak Woods Cemetery
• Mount Olivet Cemetery
• Mount Greenwood Cemetery
• St. Casimir Cemetery

Metro South

• Resurrection Cemetery
• Bethania Cemetery
• Lithuanian National Cemetery
• Archer Woods Cemetery
• Evergreen Cemetery
• St. Mary Cemetery
• Cedar Park Cemetery
• Lincoln Cemetery
• Oak Hill Cemetery
• Mount Hope Cemetery
• Restvale Cemetery
• Holy Sepulchre Cemtery
• Burr Oak Cemetery
• St. Benedict Cemetery
• Bachelors Grove Cemetery
• St. James Cemetery
• Mount Glenwood Cemetery
• Holy Cross Cemetery

IV. BURIALS NOT IN CEMETERIES

• Stephen A. Douglas Tomb
• Yorktown Shopping Center
• Mayslake/Francis S. Peabody
• Cantigny/Robert R. McCormick
• Jackson Park/Clarence Darrow
• Wrigley Field/Steve Goodman

V. OUTLYING SITES

• Masonic Cemetery/Robert Stroud (Birdman of Alcatraz)
• St. Sava Orthodox Monastery/Peter II
• Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God
• Elk Grove Cemetery
• Oakland Cemetery/Chester Gould