Modeled after the Tower of the Winds in Athens, the Berwind Memorial stands before us. It is a testament to both classical architecture and the enduring legacy of Edward J. Berwind. This is the Berwind Mausoleum.
Edward J. Berwind, a name synonymous with coal magnate, rests here. Born in 1848, he died in 1936. Berwind’s journey began in Philadelphia. He later became a capitalist with a fortune made in the coal business.
He attended the U.S. Naval Academy. Berwind served until 1875. He then entered the coal business. Edward and his brother Charles acquired coal mines. These mines were in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky. After his brother’s death, Edward led the Berwind-White Coal Company. It became the largest coal mining operation in America. When he died in 1936, his estate was valued at 31 million dollars.
Horace Trumbauer designed the Berwind Mausoleum. He was a noted architect of the early twentieth century. Trumbauer also designed the Berwind family’s estate, The Elms, in Newport, Rhode Island. Interestingly, Trumbauer himself is buried in a sarcophagus. His sarcophagus is in another section of West Laurel Hill.
The Berwind Mausoleum mirrors the Tower of the Winds in Athens. However, it lacks the porticos of the original. The mausoleum features eight frieze panels. Each panel represents a personified wind. Look closely above the entry. You will see Kaikias, the Northeast Wind. To the right is Boreas, the North Wind, holding an oil lamp. On the left, Apeliotes, the East Wind, holds flowers.
The Tower of the Winds in Athens measured time using a water clock and a sundial. The Berwind Mausoleum houses only Berwinds. Presbrey Leland built it. The Berwind Mausoleum stands as a reminder of a Gilded Age tycoon. It also reminds us of the architectural styles that captured the imagination of the era. Take a moment to appreciate the details. Notice the door knockers and the intricate frieze panels. The Berwind Memorial is a monument to both a man and a time. It is a powerful symbol of ambition, innovation, and the enduring allure of classical design.