Melancholy: Mount Olive Cemetery ‹ CHARLOTTE ASHCROFT PHOTOGRAPHY

Melancholy: Mount Olive Cemetery

Posted on March 15, 2017

by iamcharlieashcroft

Melancholy: (noun)

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

On the morning of February 8th and 9th of 2017, I visited Mount Olive Cemetery at 3800 N. Narragansett Ave. in Chicago, Illinois. Mount Olive was established in 1889 for Chicago’s Scandinavian population. At the entrance, I was greeted by a viking water fountain. The plaque on the side says “N. Heldt Henriksen Sculptor” and a year that I believe reads 1906 but this could be wrong because it was a bit hard to read. From what I could find, Niels Heldt Henrikson was the owner of Heldt Henrikson Marble Company and Mount Olive Monument Company. He was an accomplished sculptor and creator. His work can be found in cemeteries throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas. One of which are the great granite lions that adorn the façade of the E. J. Lehmann mausoleum, in Waldheim cemetery, Chicago.

Mount Olive Cemetery has a prominent limestone archway at the entrance, and is one of only a few cemeteries to have a bell in the tower that is rung as funeral processions enter. The cemetery has been featured in several history books because of its unique structural design and age. The original limestone chapel was built in 1889 and in service until 1960; it still stands today. The chapel is pictured below and it is absolutely gorgeous.

The groundskeeper stopped and spoke with me this morning I explained my fascination with the beauty that lies within cemeteries and he told me that he’d like to show me some things that I might find interesting. He couldn’t have been more right.

Lucinda B. Bryan/Brun: Initially when you set eyes on this beauty, you think it’s made of marble. You’d be totally wrong. This is completely made out of bronze. Pretty neat and unique in addition to being downright lovely.

This obelisk (pictured below) is where Ole Anton Thorp (1856-1905) is buried. He was the first person to practice the idea of direct shipments by water between Chicago and Europe. He was knighted by King Oscar of Sweden for being a representative of Sweden in the World’s Columbian Exposition a.k.a. The Chicago World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893.

My wandering and exploring Chicago’s Mount Olive Cemetery spanned 2 frigid February mornings. There was so much that piqued my interest here. I added my favorites below. If you have any information on any of these, please do not hesitate to contact me. All of my contact information can be found here. I would love to add more history to the site. Also, here is a link to the official Mount Olive Cemetery website.