Cemeteries: Our First Public Parks
Graveyards are often portrayed as eerie, haunted places. Today, they’re depicted as places of fear and sorrow, where the living rarely go. But historically, cemeteries were central to community life. Far from being hidden or feared, they were embraced as spaces for reflection, creativity, and leisure. They allowed for open religious expression, inspired art and literature, and helped shape landscape architecture. This week we explore cemeteries and appreciate them for all that they have done to shape modern public parks and their roles in conservation and cultural history.
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SourcesBooks:
- Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville
- Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography
Webpages: National Park Service, Chronicling America, Chronicling America (2), Atlas Obscura, Green Burial Council, Mount Auburn, Sleepy Hollow, Green-Wood Cemetery
