Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the prettiest garden cemeteries in the world. With more than 115,000 gravestones, it is also huge. If you go, bring your walking shoes!
There is something about this cemetery that makes me think of these song lyrics: “Who can take a sunrise? Sprinkle it with dew, Cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two . . . Who can take a rainbow?, Wrap it in a sigh, Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie . . . Oh, who can take tomorrow? Dip it in a dream, Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream.”
Lake View Cemetery is an all-in-one, amazing experience. Where else could you find Italian statues, fields of daffodils, Tiffany stained-glass windows, golden domes, towering obelisks, and bronze angels all wrapped in one visually-delicious space?
Lake View Cemetery Visitors
Lake View Cemetery attracts visitors interested in its rich history, architecture, and notable figures buried on the grounds. It is also known for its beautiful landscaping and monuments, making it a popular destination for both local and international visitors.
BillionGraves fans Glenn and Lesa Gunn visited Lake View Cemetery and sent us many of these wonderful photos. The Gunns are from Orem, Utah, but they are currently living in Kirtland, Ohio, where they are serving as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Lesa said, “This was such a cool cemetery. If anyone is visiting this area, I suggest putting this cemetery on your ‘must-see’ list!” (We certainly agree!)
History of Lake View Cemetery
In 1869, when the founding trustees of the Lake View Cemetery Association stood on 285 acres in the countryside of Cleveland, they had a bold vision: to “create a peaceful, beautiful final resting place that would also serve as a space for the living to enjoy”. It was a success, then and now.
Civil War officer Captain Louis Germain DeForest (1838 – 1870) was the first person buried at Lake View Cemetery. At age 31, Captain DeForest preceded 895 Civil War soldiers who would ultimately be buried at Lake View.
The Grounds at Lake View Cemetery
Lake View is a Level 2 Arboretum, which means the cemetery met specific requirements, such as having an “arboretum plan, a collections policy, a governance group, more than 100 different species of woody plants, volunteers, a paid horticulture staff, public access, special events, and educational programs.”
Wade Chapel with Tiffany Stained Glass
In 1901, the Wade Memorial Chapel was commissioned by the grandson of Jeptha H. Wade, the founder of the Western Union Telegraph Company. During his lifetime, Wade was a generous philanthropist with the family donating more than $25 million to projects in the Cleveland community, including orphanages, parks, and works of art.
The interior of Wade Chapel was designed by Louis C. Tiffany. From the mosaic floor with swirling tiles to the massive stained glass windows, Tiffany’s style has left a significant impression in Wade’s chapel.
The wall panels are comprised of thousands of pieces of mosaic glass representing the ‘River of Life’ and the ‘River of Death.’ When Tiffany was commissioned to work in the Wade Chapel, he said that it was just the opportunity he had been waiting for, and that he would make it the work of his life. After creating the designs, Tiffany delegated the work to others. Three years later, he arrived in Cleveland to inspect the finished work and declared, “I am perfectly satisfied.”
The Wade Chapel rests on the shore of a reflecting pool with swans and a fountain.
You may be surprised to learn of Jeptha Wade’s humble beginnings. He was born in 1811 in Seneca Falls, New York, the youngest of 9 children. His father died when Jeptha was a baby, leaving his mother with the challenging burden of providing and caring for him and his siblings. Jeptha left home at the age of 12 to work as an apprentice.
But from lemons, come lemonade, right? Jeptha’s trials turned him into a hard worker. One apprenticeship after another, he worked as a shoemaker, a bricklayer, and a carpenter. By the age of 20, he had founded his first company and was on his way to becoming one of the world’s most successful businessmen.
Daffodil Hill at Lake View Cemetery
Each spring, more than 150,000 daffodil bulbs burst into bloom across the rolling hills of Daffodil Hill at Lake View Cemetery. (It’s even a popular spot for marriage proposals!)
James A. Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery
In 1881, James A. Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, was shot by an assassin in Washington DC after serving just six months as chief executive.
His casket was interred in a temporary vault at Lake View Cemetery while construction began on a permanent monument.
The Garfield Monument was dedicated and opened to the public on Memorial Day in 1890. The spectacular building was designed by architect George Keller.
The domed tower is 50 feet (15 m) in diameter and 180 feet (55 m) high. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic places on April 11, 1973.
The Garfield monument includes a combination of Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque Revival architectural styles.
The interior features stained glass windows with panes representing the original 13 colonies, plus the state of Ohio. The walls hold scenes depicting War and Peace, mosaics, and red granite columns.
On the exterior, there is an observation deck with views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.
At the center of the memorial is a stunning 12-foot (3.7 m) high white Carrara marble statue of President Garfield, created by Ohio-native, Italian-trained sculptor Alexander Doyle.
President Garfield and his wife, the former First Lady Lucretia Garfield, are entombed in the lower level of the monument. It is the only US presidential casket on full public display.
President James A. Garfield, residence was in nearby Mentor, Ohio. Prior to his death, Garfield had expressed his desire to be buried at Lake View Cemetery. Following his assassination, the cemetery offered a burial site free of charge to his widow.
Garfield’s friends and admirers made plans for a grand tomb to be erected at the highest point in the cemetery. The memorial was funded entirely through private donations, including pennies sent in by the nation’s children.
John D. Rockefeller Burial Site at Lake View Cemetery
John D. Rockefeller was born in New York State but later moved to Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1870, Rockefeller founded Standard Oil Company. Within 10 years, he gained control over 90% of America’s oil industry, amassing a fortune that made him one of the wealthiest men in history.
In 1937. Billionaire Philanthropist Rockefeller died and was buried at Lake View Cemetery beneath a 70-foot obelisk, the tallest monument in the cemetery.
During his lifetime, Rockefeller’s philanthropic efforts helped fund medical research and educational institutions throughout America. Visitors often leave dimes at his gravesite, in honor of Rockefeller’s habit of giving dimes to children.
Alan Freed Memorial: Let’s Rock N’ Roll!
Alan Freed’s gravestone, located at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio, honors the influential DJ who coined the phrase “rock and roll.”
The gravestone features Freed’s nickname “Moondog,” musical notes, and a jukebox, symbolizing his role in bringing rhythm and blues to radio audiences.
You can see more photos and learn more about Alan Freed on BillionGraves’ website by clicking HERE.
Italian Stone Carving at Lake View Cemetery
The Italians are known the world over for their stone carving skills. It is an art that they learned anciently from the Greeks and perfected over the centuries in locations like the Carrara marble quarry in northern Italy.
In the 1800s, there was a demand for Italian stone carving in America. Stone carvers were recruited to work in major cities, including Cleveland, Ohio. Their work can be seen on buildings and monuments throughout the city, and especially at Lake View Cemetery.
Between 1880 and 1920, nearly 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States and about 25,000 of them settled in Cleveland. In Ohio, they often lived in culturally-divided communities, including “Little Italy”, located next to Lake View Cemetery.
An Italian monument company was established across the street from Lake View Cemetery.
Skilled stone-cutters and carvers were recruited from Italy.
In 1898, Italian artisans created the John D. Rockefeller obelisk. Scaffolding was built to support the 362,000-pound obelisk as they carved. It was the largest piece of granite ever quarried for a gravesite monument.
The rock was quarried in Vermont and then transported to Cleveland, which was no easy feat. Railway bridges had to be shored up all along the way to support the weight. Horses and pulleys were used to move the rock from the railroad station to the cemetery, inch by inch over several weeks.
The friezes on the exterior of the James A. Garfield Memorial building were also carved by Italian stone artists.
Italian stone carving is known for its religious art. Don’t these angels just seem to have popped right out of heaven!?
You can learn more and see additional photos of beautiful Italian stone sculptures in BillionGraves’ blog post: Breathtaking Italian Cemetery Statues.
Animal Sculptures at Lake View Cemetery
There are some animal sculptures at Lake View Cemetery that will turn your head too, like this muscular horse.
This ferocious lion looks ready to leap right off this gravestone.
This elk is a symbol of the Elks fraternity. The more formal name is “The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks” (BPOE). The fraternity emphasizes “Brotherly Love” as one of its four main virtues.
I especially love the Elks’ motto: “The faults of our members we write upon the sand; their virtues upon the tablets of love and memory.”
Sensational Sculptures at Lake View Cemetery
Angel of Death
This is the gravestone for Nathaniel Merritt-Mervine, who passed away at the age of 40. He was a social worker who assisted the elderly, a band member, and an avid runner.
Shortly after he was married, Nathaniel was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in his foot, causing him to become an amputee. He could no longer run, but worked incredibly hard to adapt to his setback and continue to live a life of service.
The sculpture on Nathaniel’s grave is called the Angel of Death, and it was created by Joe Lupiani of Grafton, Vermont.
The epitaph reads: “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
A likeness of Nathaniel’s best buddy, his dog Ruby, peeks out from beneath the skirts of the angel sculpture.
Haserot Angel
This angel is one of the most popular sculptures at Lake View Cemetery. She goes by many names: “The Haserot Angel”, “The Angel of Death Victorious”, and “The Weeping Angel”.
The statue is made of bronze, which has turned green over the years. Rain and time have made the patina on her face look like tears are pouring down from her eyes onto her neck.
She holds an upside-down torch, a symbol of life extinguished. Learn more about gravestone symbols HERE and HERE.
Lake View Cemetery Tours
The founders of Lake View Cemetery, who envisioned a beautiful place for the living, as well as a peaceful final resting place for the deceased, would be pleased to know that more than 150 years later, there are numerous cemetery tours to educate and entertain visitors.
Here are some of the tours offered at Lake View Cemetery:
- Trolley Tours
- Summer Firefly Spotting
- Nature Walk
- Chamber Orchestra
- Bat Night
- Cops, Robbers, and Mobsters
- Fall Colors
- Burial Traditions
- Owl Prowl
Whether you visit Lake View Cemetery in person or virtually, I hope you enjoy one of the world’s prettiest cemeteries!
Learn More
Learn more in these BillionGraves blog posts:
10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Cemeteries
The 7 Largest Cemeteries in the World
10 Cemeteries to See Before You Die
Learn more on the BillionGraves website:
President James A. Garfield’s gravesite
Click HERE to see Lake View Cemetery on the BillionGraves website
Volunteer
BillionGraves needs volunteers to take photos of gravestones. Click HERE to learn how. If you photograph your local cemetery and I photograph mine, we’ll all be able to find our ancestors from wherever we are!
If you are planning a large group project, email us at Volunteer@BillionGraves.com, and we will be happy to send you some additional resources.
Happy Cemetery Hopping!
Cathy Wallace
