Baltimore, May 4, 2011 — Prior to this era of creepy vampire fetishsizing, and long before the Boris Karloff monster movies, cemetery visits to places like Baltimore's Green Mount Cemetery were considered a perfect Sunday family outing.
There are a few reasons for this:
Beautiful statuary at Green Mount.
Cemeteries were, since Biblical times, built "outside" the city.
One of the anthropological signs that early primitive society were humanoids is that they buried their dead outside of "the city." In the 19th and early 20th centuries, visiting a cemetery was a respite, a visit to "the country."
Before art galleries were open to the public, most of the great art was hidden inside the mansions of the wealthy, except for the gorgeous statuary and architecture found in cemeteries.
Green Mount Cemetery was created from Robert Oliver's 60-acre steeply hilly estate, "Green Mount," in 1838. Mr. Oliver apparently enjoyed landscaping his property and filling it with outdoor tchotkes, so it was an easy transition. He's buried right near the Greenmount Avenue entrance.
It's pretty common knowledge in Baltimore that the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, is interred here. There was a huge legal controversy a few years ago, when some of his descendants -- some of whom still live in the Mid-Atlantic region -- wanted Booth's remains to be exhumed.
Rumors circulated for well over a century that Booth escaped to the Wild West, where he thrived for the rest of his natural life. The family wanted to know for certain.
The then Chief Judge of the Circuit Court, Joseph H.H. Kaplan, himself a great student of history, presided over the case. I happened to see him at a cocktail party the night before the announcement of his verdict. He didn't come out and say "no," but the almost imperceptible shake of his head when I said to him, "I vote to dig him up! Dig him up!" gave the game away.
Booth family plot
When one and one's immediate family contract to bury a body at a cemetery, part of the agreement is for the cemetery to provide eternal rest. One's descendants, down the line, do not have standing to disturb it. Plus, there was the issue of a $25,000 exhumation cost, and it was said that the Booths wanted Green Mount Cemetery -- or anybody else, probably -- to pay for it, on the basis of wrongful interment.
It would have been a tricky endeavor, since John Wilkes was never issued a headstone. It was considered even in Civil War times that there would be people tempted to either desecrate his grave, or take a "little souvenir." His name does appear on the obelisk for the family, however.
John Wilkes Booth's name on the family monument
Edwin Booth, the other famous actor in the family, is not buried at Green Mount. This being the 150th anniversary of the advent of the Civil War, would make it a particularly meaningful time to visit.
There's a lot more to Green Mount than Presidential assassins. Many of the preeminent citizens of Baltimore and Baltimore County are buried here, including mayors, generals, philanthropists, and performers.
Former Governor Ritchie and several other governors rest in peace at Green Mount. Curiously, the late Governor William Donald Schaefer -- who also served as possibly the most popular mayor Baltimore ever had -- was not buried here when he died last week.
Poor Betsy Patterson, abandoned by her husband Jerome Bonaparte, the Emperor's brother, lies alone for all eternity.
I learned from my friend and local artist, Jon Brayton, all about the cultural aspects of cemeteries in general, and of Green Mount in particular. William Henry Rinehart was Maryland's most prominent sculptor. Many of his pieces were commissioned for graves at Green Mount, and Rinehart himself is buried here.
Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, sister-in-law to Napoleon Bonaparte
Some of the older graves have florid, romantic poetry on them, but are difficult to read. Nearly 175 years of weather and city pollution took their toll on the stone.
Another interesting item: Because of Green Mount's garden layout, it attracts wildlife one would not expect in a metropolitan city, including woodcocks, owls, foxes, falcons, and on one occasion, a wild turkey.
Visiting Green Mount is free. Maps and other materials can be obtained at the Cemetery Office located on the right side of the Entrance Gate.
Donations for these materials are appreciated. All visitors are asked to sign in at the office.
Visitors are encouraged to set their own pace on a self-guided walking or driving tour. Special guided tours can be arranged: Call (410) 539-0641 or send an email toTours@greenmountcemetery.com.
Green Mount has the following visit guidelines and suggestions:
Hours of Operation:
The Cemetery office and grounds are open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM till 4:00 PM. The office closes at noon on Saturdays; the grounds remain open until 4:00 PM. In cases of inclement weather, please call before visiting.
The engraving is fading fast. . . best visit now
Holiday Schedule:
The Cemetery is open on the following holidays:
Easter Sunday
Father's Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Memorial Day
Mother's Day
President's Day
If Christmas & New Year's Day falls on a Saturday, the Cemetery will be closed on Friday. If they fall on a Sunday, the Cemetery will be closed on Monday.
Please call for specific holiday hours.
Suggestions for visiting:
1. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
2. Take a stroll down “Oliver's Walk”.
3. Enjoy the view of the city skyline from the southwest side of the Chapel.
4. Restroom facilities are located at the Entrance Gate.
Etiquette:
Green Mount Cemetery is a place of national significance. Please help us maintain its beauty and dignity by observing the following rules of etiquette:
- Parking is permitted along the sides of all roadways.
- Please drive carefully. Speeds should not exceed 15 mph.
- We ask that groups wishing to visit the Cemetery schedule their visit at least two weeks in advance.
- Buses may park on the apron in front of the Entrance Gate, but are not permitted inside the Cemetery.
- DO NOT TOUCH OR LEAN ON GRAVESTONES. DUE TO AGE OF GRAVESTONES, TOPPLING IS A POSSIBLE HAZARD.
- Show respect for the dead and for their surviving families and loved ones. Do not intrude on funeral services. Do not bring alcohol, firearms, or entertainment items into the Cemetery. Always be considerate of others.
- Well-behaved children under the direct supervision of responsible adults are welcome. Running, playing, and noisy activities are not appropriate.
- Pets are not permitted.
- Please do not litter.
- Photographs can be taken but they are not to be published commercially. Photographing funerals is prohibited.
- Filming is only permitted with the express permission of the Board of Managers.
- Please plan your visit so that you can exit the Cemetery no later than 3:45 PM.
You can read more about being out and about in Baltimore by Tamar Alexia Fleishman in The Washington Times Communities here.
It takes a Renaissance woman to cover the cool, shocking, tasty, and thought- provoking things in the Baltimore region and beyond. Tamar is a Kentucky Colonel, a beauty pageant winner, and has managed several Southern rock and alt-country bands. She also has a column online, as well as articles of interest to the military. Read more Out and About Baltimore in The Washington Times Communities.
- jmk -
-cl- 5/4/11
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