How about a stroll through history? We are now standing before Glenwood Cemetery. It is more than just a final resting place. Glenwood Cemetery is a tapestry of stories etched in stone and whispered by the wind.
Glenwood Cemetery was established in 1854. This was after the Council of the City of Washington passed an ordinance. The ordinance barred new cemeteries in certain areas. Joseph B. Close, William S. Humphreys, Randolph S. Evans, and George Clendenin bought Clover Hill. They bought it from Junius J. Boyle. Their goal was to create a secular cemetery.
Glenwood Cemetery is a private cemetery. It spans 90 acres. Many famous people rest here. The cemetery boasts elaborate Victorian and Art Nouveau funerary monuments. Glenwood Cemetery’s mortuary chapel was listed in 1989. The cemetery itself was listed in 2017.
Early on, Glenwood faced ownership disputes. Humphreys defaulted on payments to Close. Close became the sole owner. Then, Congress passed legislation. It changed the association’s name to “The Glenwood Cemetery”. Close refused to recognize the new charter. The matter went to the Supreme Court. In Close v. Glenwood Cemetery, the court sided with the investors.
Glenwood Cemetery’s layout was designed by George F. de la Roche. He drew inspiration from Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston and Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia also played a role. De la Roche created a “rural cemetery” landscape. He designed winding roadways.
Even Abraham Lincoln visited Glenwood Cemetery. He visited Colonel John Cochrane’s regiment in 1861. Later, assassination co-conspirator George Atzerodt was buried here.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glenwood was one of the “big five” cemeteries in Washington, D.C. In 1892, Glenwood Cemetery commissioned a mortuary chapel. Glenn Brown, a local architect, designed it. It was his only religious structure.
Many notable people are interred here. Constantino Brumidi, who painted frescoes in the United States Capitol, is among them. His grave was unmarked for 72 years. It was rediscovered. A marker was placed in 1952.
After a windstorm in 2008, Glenwood Cemetery invited Dayton Scoggins. He is a chainsaw artist. Scoggins carved fallen oak tree stumps into wooden statues. These statues depict scenes from Revelations.
Glenwood Cemetery continues to evolve. It blends history with art. It offers a serene space for reflection. Take a moment to appreciate the artistry and stories. They are etched into this landscape. This silent city speaks volumes about lives lived and legacies left behind.