Revisiting the Rural Cemetery Movement
How Chicago cemeteries are re-embracing the ideas at the core of a Victorian movement to engage new generations seeking meaningful experiences.
What Was the Rural Cemetery Movement?
The rural cemetery movement of the early 19th century marked a significant shift in the way people in the United States and parts of Europe approached burial practices and the design of cemeteries. Before this movement, most cemeteries were small, crowded graveyards overseen almost exclusively by the church, were located within city limits, and were often associated with health hazards due to poor maintenance and overcrowding. As cities became more populated and these issues were exacerbated, a new approach was needed.
A turning point came in the collapse of the Cimetière des Innocents in Paris in the late 18th century. This cemetery, located in the heart of Paris, had become severely overcrowded over the centuries, with bodies essentially stacked in mass graves throughout the site. As a result, the ground became unstable, and the walls of nearby buildings began to crack under the pressure of the decomposing bodies. This led to a public health crisis, with bodies bursting into the basements of neighboring properties. The situation became so dire that the cemetery was eventually closed, and its contents were transferred to underground catacombs. This event highlighted the urgent need for reform in burial practices and contributed to the inspiration behind the creation of Père Lachaise Cemetery, which aimed to provide a more spacious and sanitary resting place for the deceased on the outskirts of the city.
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, established in 1804, is considered one of the earliest and most influential examples of the rural cemetery movement. Designed by Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart, it was initially outside city limits, chosen for its serene, natural setting that contrasted sharply with the overcrowded churchyards within the city. Père Lachaise was designed as a garden and park, featuring winding paths, varied terrain, and majestic trees, setting the template for cemeteries as places for both mourning and public recreation. Its creation marked a pivotal shift in burial practices, influencing the development of similar cemeteries across America, and highlighted the changing attitudes towards death and dying.
The rural cemetery movement sought to address these problems by establishing large, landscaped cemeteries on the outskirts of cities in order to make the most of large swaths of land whereas before the dead occupied small city lots. This philosophy, reflected beautifully in Père Lachaise, inspired the design of Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1831. These cemeteries were designed not just for burial but as serene park-like spaces that encouraged visitors to contemplate nature, mourn the deceased, and enjoy the beauty of the landscape- they were built for the dead, but designed for the living. Winding paths, lush plantings, ornate sculptures, and impressive mausoleums set a precedent for cemetery design that emphasized aesthetics and tranquility.
The rural cemetery movement also reflected and encouraged changing attitudes toward death and mourning. The serene and beautiful settings of these cemeteries helped to cultivate a more peaceful relationship with death, viewing it as a natural part of life. This perspective was quite different from the earlier, more fearful attitudes that saw death as something ominous or religiously punitive. The movement also played a role in democratizing death, as these cemeteries were built to serve the public at large, not just the church-affiliated or elite.
For the living, these rural cemeteries became the precursors to public parks. With few public gardens and parks available at the time, rural cemeteries offered a space where urban dwellers could escape the hustle and bustle of city life, enjoy leisure activities, and experience nature. This use of cemeteries heavily influenced the development of the public park movement, motivating figures like Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed several famous rural cemeteries and later led the creation of iconic public parks such as Central Park in New York City.
From the New England coast the influence of the rural cemetery movement quickly spread west as more and more cemeteries began to develop with park-like ambiances and organic landscaping. Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a leader in the movement, and soon nearby Chicagoand wanted in too.
Chicago and the Rural Cemetery Movement
Chicago's cemeteries are notable examples of how the rural cemetery movement influenced burial practices in the United States, particularly in growing urban areas during the 19th century. As Chicago expanded, the need for new approaches to burying its dead became apparent, similar to trends in other large cities. This led to the establishment of several cemeteries that embraced the ideals of the rural cemetery movement, which promoted greener, more serene, and spacious environments on the outskirts of urban centers.
The development of Graceland, Rosehill, and other burial grounds as rural cemeteries in Chicago was heavily influenced by the conditions and limitations of Chicago’s City Cemetery, established in the 1840’s, which originally occupied the area now known as Lincoln Park. In the mid-19th century, as Chicago rapidly grew, City Cemetery quickly became overcrowded and unsanitary, mirroring the issues faced by other urban cemeteries of the era. Being located near the lake and within the city limits, the site suffered from poor drainage and was susceptible to flooding, which sometimes caused bodies to reemerge from their shallow graves. These conditions not only posed public health risks which were instigated by the media, but also made the cemetery a significantly undignified resting place.
Moreover, as Chicago's population expanded, the land occupied by City Cemetery became increasingly valuable for urban development and public use, particularly after the Chicago Fire of 1871. The need for open, public land, along with concerns about health, led to the closure and gradual relocation of graves from City Cemetery to more distant locations like Graceland and Rosehill.
Rosehill Cemetery, the first rural cemetery to open in Chicago, was dedicated in 1859 and also exemplifies the rural cemetery ethos. It is the largest cemetery in the city and features a distinctly Victorian landscape design, complete with scenic vistas, rolling hills, and architecturally significant mausoleums and monuments. Like Graceland, Rosehill functions as both a burial ground and a green space, contributing to urban greenery and limited public use.
Graceland Cemetery, established the following year in 1860, is one of the most beloved cemeteries in Chicago. It was designed with the rural cemetery movement's principles in mind, featuring landscaped grounds, winding paths, and a variety of trees and plant life, making it not just a place for mourning but also a space for public recreation and appreciation of nature.
Reconnecting with Our Cemeteries
While both different from one another in small ways, these resting places were part of a broader movement that saw cemeteries as part of city planning and public health, offering both a dignified resting place for the deceased and a recreational area for the living. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago parks closed down to the public and many locals began to realize the value in cemeteries as accessible green spaces. Just as rural cemeteries were designed to serve both as burial sites and public parks, modern cemeteries are increasingly being seen as spaces for community engagement and multiple uses. This includes hosting events, art installations, and even concerts, which help to demystify death and integrate these spaces into daily community life.
For the cemeteries such as Graceland which have capitalized on this renewed interest in cemeteries, there has been a growing emphasis on making sure that cemetery spaces are inclusive and accessible to all community members, reflecting broader societal movements towards inclusivity and equity. The isolation and grief brought on by the pandemic have led to a greater focus on mental health, and cemeteries from the rural cemetery movement, designed to be peaceful and reflective, are being revisited as places that can support mental health by providing a serene environment for reflection and mourning.
In this way, as in so many others, we see history repeating itself. Cemeteries hold so much potential as accessible, nurturing, natural, community-focused environments in a time when so many are seeking community and connection. The rural cemetery movement began almost two hundred years ago, but we still see its core tenets in action today.