Millionaires Row

The eternal addresses of some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most prominent citizens may be found at Mountain View Cemetery’s Millionaires Row. The two lanes that make up Millionaires Row offer spectacular vistas and architectural wonders. The eclecticism of late nineteenth and early twentieth century architecture is quite evident here. Among the grand  mausolea one can find examples of Romanesque Revival, Egyptian Revival, Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Tholos forms and “uniquely funerary” styles.

Tse Mausoleum

Next to the Tse mausoleum in Linden (a suburb of Newark), New Jersey, stands the monument to young Raymond Tse. Raymond, a 16 year old Chinese-American boy, longed for a Mercedes when he grew up. Unfortunately, he died unexpectedly of pneumonia in 1983, while in Hong Kong as a foreign exchange student.

Warner Monument

The Warner monument, centerpiece of the Warner plot in Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery, is one of the most curious pieces of funerary sculpture in the United States. It was carved by Alexander Milne Calder, who also did the carving on Philadelphia’s City Hall. Calder carved a depiction of a slightly larger than life size female lifting the lid from the coffin of William Warner (1780-1855) so his soul could be released to the heavens. It is not known if the face of the soul is that of Mr. Warner or just Alexander Calder’s artistic vision.

Webb Mausoleum

William Webb
June 19, 1816–October 30, 1899

William Henry Webb was a master shipbuilder whose clipper ships set speed records that still stand. He inherited his father’s shipbuilding business in 1840 and proceeded to turn the renamed William H. Webb Company into America’s most prolific shipyard, churning out 133 vessels from 1849 to 1865. So swift were his ships that one advertisement proclaimed, “Flying Craft for San Francisco, Now Up.” In 1853, he launched his last clipper ship, and his personal favorite, Young America, saying to the mate, “Take good care of her, mister, because after she’s gone, there will be no more like her.”

Lorillard Mausoleum

The twin ionic columned Lorillard mausoleum, built circa 1887, is comfortably nestled in a deeply shaded glen at Woodlawn cemetery. Its heavily rusticated stone walls provide a ready surface for vines and other foliage attach themselves.

Dunlop Mausoleum

Clark W. Dunlop (1845-March 6, 1908)
Eliza Cisco Dunlop (1836-August 8,1932)
Unnamed Parrot (ca 1891-March, 1921)

Dr. Clark W. Dunlop certainly had an interesting life. And unfortunately, a tragic and contentious death. Born in 1845, he graduated from the Eclectic Medical College of the City of New York then set up offices on Bond Street. By 1884 he had founded and installed himself as president of the United States Medicine Company where he published a handbook titled Dr. Dunlop’s Family Practice describing the symptoms and treatment of 100 common diseases. The manual, which was designed for use by families, also contained advertisements for some of Dr. Dunlop’s nostrums, including Dr. Dunlop’s King of Pain, Dr. Dunlop’s Cascara Compound (a laxative) and other patent medicines and remedies.

Blocher Mausoleum

It’s impossible to stroll by the Blocher mausoleum in Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery without wondering what the story is behind this one-of-a-kind tomb. Indeed, the circumstances that led to the tomb’s construction are an intriguing mix of fact and fable. It’s a tale of love and passion and loss and sorrow. The center of attention inside the tomb is Nelson Blocher, laid out for viewing, clutching a bible. Looking at his prostrate form are his parents, John and Elizabeth Blocher. Hovering above is an angel, who, some say, bears a striking resemblance to a maid employed by the Blocher family. It’s said that Nelson died of a broken heart. Accounts of the day say that his mother, Elizabeth, goaded her husband, John into constructing the tomb as a memorial for their heartbroken son.

Garrison Mausoleum

Cornelius Kingston Garrison
March 1, 1809–May 1, 1885

This Moorish Revival mausoleum is the final port of call for Commodore Cornelius Kingston Garrison. Garrison’s tomb was designed by New York architect Griffith Thomas, who also designed a number of buildings in New York City, including the original New York Life Insurance Building (1860). In 1908, The American Institute of Architects called Thomas “the most fashionable architect of his generation.” For the Garrison mausoleum, Thomas worked with Islamic, Byzantine, and Moorish forms, topping his creation with a dome that one can easily imagine was transported straight from St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Of particular interest is the way the polychrome granite treatment is used to bring attention to the different architectural elements. It is one of the most elaborately styled mausoleums in Green-Wood.

Ehret Mausoleum

This big-shouldered Romanesque Revival mausoleum is the eternal home of a big-shouldered man. George Ehret was born is the city of Hofweier in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany. His father, who was a prosperous brewer in Germany, came to the United States in 1852. Young George followed in 1856. He went to work for Anton Hupfel in Manhattan and in six years became Hupfel’s master brewer. Then Hupfel lent him enough money, combined with what he had saved, to start a brewery of his own. Ehret christened it the Hell Gate Brewery. To get pure water, he drilled an artesian well through 700 feet of rock, saying he would not defile good hops with city water. In 1871, he produced 33,512 barrels of beer; by 1874, production topped 100,000 barrels; by 1900, the Hell Gate Brewery’s production soared to over 600,000 barrels. Barrel-chested George Ehret became one of the richest men in New York.

Wieting Mausoleum

The jury is still out on what the architect/builder was thinking when designing the Wieting Mausoleum in 1880. Some say it resembles of an East Indian, Tibetan or Chinese Stupa. Stupas were most frequently associated with the Buddhist culture in these countries. The conical shape of Stupas reflect the Buddhist belief that one proceeds in an ascending process towards unification. Indeed, in China, Stupas are often used to surmount tombstones and burial chambers.