Lakewood Cemetery (Art & Travel) Mpls., MN USA

On the Chain of Lakes, Minneapolis

See blog on the Chain of Lakes for more on these lakes

Between Two Lakes

Bde Maka Ska / Lake Calhoun is to the west. Lake Harriet is to the south.

Great views of Bde Maka Ska / Lake Calhoun can be seen from the western slopes of the cemetery.

Jo Pond

This pond (see SW corner in the map on far left) is a peaceful and serene water feature located within Lakewood’s 250 acres of rolling hills and beautiful landscape. This onsite lake offers benches and quiet open spaces to reflect.

The site of an annual Lantern Lighting Celebration, it is also used for private scattering services and memorial events.

The Garden of Serenity, on the southeastern side, memorializes individuals who have chosen cremation.

Landscaping & 95,000 Flowers

Known for its landscape, it is one of the most lovely urban cemeteries in the country. Designed as a “garden” or “rural” cemetery, Lakewood has been carefully planned and developed since the 1870s.

Eleven miles of wide, winding roads and an eight-acre lake were built by workers aided by horses and wagons decades ago.

Lakewood has one of the largest greenhouse operations in the United States, hosting popular spring tours. To ensure its year-round beauty, groundskeepers plant more than 95,000 flowers each spring!

Mausoleum complex

Lakewood Cemetery covers 250 acres and has eleven miles of roads winding throughout.

The Map

Administration / Welcome Center

Enter on the north side, off of West 36th Street. Immediately inside the front gates stands the stately Administration Building, completed in 1929. It serves as a Welcome Center for visitors.

Traveler Tip: Lovely, colored brochures are available for self-guided tours onsite and online. An onsite kiosk is available if you want to located a grave/memorial within the cemetery. (It was down the day were visited, so it is advisable to check the website before you go)

Memorial Chapel

The Chapel

Many experts now believe that a work of such magnitude could not be recreated at any price today, as artisans possessing the necessary skills have passed into history.” Designed by prominent Minneapolis architect Harry Wild Jones and modeled after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Architecture

“If this chapel were somewhere in Europe, thousands of Americans would visit it each year. Never have we seen anything to equal it in this country—not even the famous mosaics of the Library of Congress at Washington impressed us so greatly.” From a journalist in 1931

“The Memorial Chapel is the centerpiece of the cemetery and a priceless architectural treasure—the most perfect example of Byzantine mosaic art in the United States. When it was completed in 1910, it was the only building in America with an authentic mosaic interior.

The Dome

Through the years, visitors have been astonished to find such an outstanding architectural jewel in the heart of the Midwest.

The Memorial Chapel is open for funerals and private events, even weddings (based on availability and restrictions).

Famous people in the walls. . .

• “Tiny Tim”(Herbert B. Khaury), New York native (d. 1996)
• Ukulele playing, falsetto-voiced entertainer
• Entombed here with his ukulele (and a tulip) in his hand.
• Lived in Minnesota with 3rd wife when he died
• Died from a heart attack on stage singing his infamous “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” at the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis.
• His 1969 wedding on the Johnny Carson Show was the most watched TV event up to that time.

• Contemporary design
• Minnesota granite
• Soft gray/white mosaics
• Natural light
• Marble, wood, bronze and onyx
• . . . Calm and Peaceful!

• Warm wood paneling
• Italian marble
• Crystal chandeliers, mosaics,
• 24 eight-foot-high stained glass windows which illustrate biblical verses and secular poetry
• . . . Lovely!

Three elements create a sense of peace and calm, an environment conducive to contemplation and healing:

• Abundant natural light, evoking a sense of spirituality, warmth and comfort
• Beauty and craftsmanship—evident from the moment you enter
• A close connection to Lakewood’s greatest asset—the landscape.

Hubert H. Humphrey, U.S vice president

• Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-1978), the “Happy Warrior”
• Famous for civil rights activities and liberal ideas.
• Active in politics, he was
  • Vice President of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson (1964-1968),
  • Ran for US President (DFL) in 1968, was narrowly defeated by Richard Nixon
  • US Senator from MN (1948-64; 1970 – 1978),
  • and Mayor of Minneapolis (1945-49).

Fondly Remembered: One a cold January day of his funeral, more than 3,000 people gathered near Lakewood to mourn. In the days that followed, some 200 cars per hour drove through Lakewood to glimpse Humphrey’s monument. People still come from all over the country to visit his grave.

Paul Wellstone, U.S senator

• Paul D. Wellstone (1944-2002)
• U.S. senator (DFL) and politician known for his grassroots campaigns and devotion to liberal causes.
• Taught political science at Carlton College, Northfield, MN for 21 years.
• Defeated a two-term incumbent to become US senator (1990), a role he held until his death (2002).
• His wife, Sheila, campaigned with him and was an advocate for victims of domestic violence.
• Wellstone (age 58), his wife and daughter (Marcia) died tragically in a plane crash in northern Minnesota.
• Son of Jewish immigrants from Russia, his parents instilled in him a commitment to justice and civic activism.

Of special interest to me were the stones on the grave marker. I became aware of these in my travel to Israel. Jewish people put stones on their graves in the way many of us put flowers.

I did some digging and here is what I found “Leaving stones or pebbles on a grave is an ancient Jewish tradition, but its origins are unclear. It is not a commandment, rather a custom or tradition. Over time, many different interpretations have been offered for this practice. Flowers, though beautiful, will eventually die. A stone can symbolize the permanence of memory and will not die.” (jewish-funeral-home.com/why-do-jews-place-stones-or-pebbles-on-a-grave/)

Rudy Perpich, MN governor

• Rudy Perpich (1928-1995)
• Minnesota’s longest-serving governor over two terms – 1976-1979 and 1983-1991. (36th and 38th governor)
• His 1982 running mate Marlene Johnson, became Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor
• Appointed first woman to the MN state Supreme Court, Rosalie Wahl.
• Made Minnesota visible on a world scale. His “eccentric” ideas brought Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Super Bowl and Mall of America to Minnesota.
• Roots as a dentist from northern Minnesota’s iron range.
• A proponent of education and the arts, Perpich’s legacy of projects in Minnesota include the Minnesota World Trade Center in Saint Paul, the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, and the Mall of America in Bloomington.

I was especially interested in the design of his monument, since he and his wife were such proponents of the arts. His modern, stainless steel monument (by artist Gloria Tew) was commissioned for him by his wife Lola in 1996.

Washburn Memorial

Washburn-Crosby Flour Mills became General Mills.

High on what I call “Monument Hill,” Skip helps us see the scale and size of this monument!

• William D. Washburn (1831-1912)
• served Minnesota as US Senator, businessman, appointee of President Lincoln as Surveyor General of Minnesota
• Lakewood founder who built his fortune in lumber, flour milling and railroads.
• His brother, C.C. Washburn, joined him in Minnesota and founded the Washburn-Crosby mill, now General Mills.

Pillsbury Memorial

Minnesota Governor; University of Minnesota

Also high on “Monument Hill,” the scale and size of this monument can be seen in the close up of me taken next to it below! (See that tiny figure at the lower left side of the monument??!)

• John S. Pillsbury (1827-1901)
• Minnesota governor for 3 terms (1876-1882), state senator, businessman and philanthropist.
• Helped establish the University of Minnesota.
• Started a hardware business in St. Anthony (1855), served as a St. Anthony alderman.

Walker Memorial

Walker Art Center; Walker Residence

This memorial is one of the first to be seen as it is near the entrance and on the north side of the mausoleum.

• Thomas B. Walker (1840-1928)
• He and his wife, Harriet, created the Walker Art Center (opened 1927) to house their extensive art collection.
• Harriet (and friends) began the Bethany Home for unwed mothers (1876). It is now the site of Walker Place and Walker Methodist Residence (37th and Bryant, Minneapolis).

Lowery-Goodrich Mausoleum

Lowry Hill is named for them.

This mausoleum is one of the most impressive examples of Classical Revival Funerary architecture in the country. A replica of the Parthenon in Athens, this mausoleum is the largest monument in Lakewood Cemetery.

Sitting high on a hill, it is an impressive sight to behold! It introduces a whole string of smaller mausoleums in similar Classical Revival style along the road.

• Dr. Calvin Goodrich (d. 1915)
  • Lakewood’s first president, a prominent physician and vehement abolitionist who helped many slaves escape to the north.
  • Helped organize the Northwestern National bank (Norwest and now Wells Fargo).
• Thomas Lowry (1843-1909), attorney and land developer, married Beatrice Goodrich (1870).
  • A Lakewood founder
  • Created Lake Street in the late 1870s.
  • Consolidated the transit systems of Minneapolis and St. Paul into the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, MTC (1886).
  • Mr. and Mrs. Lowry were the toasts of Mpls society. Rumors abounded that they spent $100,000 on their house, located at the top of Hennepin Hill, now called Lowry Hill.

Fridley Memorial

The City of Fridley, Minnesota is named in his honor.

This memorial is one of the first monuments – and largest – you will see as you leave the main building. It truly sets the tone for the whole “Lakewood Experience!”

• Abram M. Fridley (1817-1888)
• A farmer and frontier Indian agent, elected first territorial representative for the area (1855)
• A Minnesota State representative who introduced the first women’s suffrage bill in the Minnesota Legislature.
• Minnesota State Legislature (1879), of which Abram M. Fridley was still a member, changed the township’s name to bear his last name.
• The city of Fridley, Minnesota (north first-ring suburb of Minneapolis) is named in his honor.

Loring Memorial

Loring Park is named in his honor.

This memorial honors the man who is known as the “Father of the Parks,” Charles M. Loring, for his efforts to bring the beauty of nature to all citizens of Minneapolis.

• Charles M. Loring (1832-1922)
• A Lakewood founder.
• Spent 35 years developing the Minneapolis Park System.
• Minneapolis’ Central Park was renamed Loring Park in his honor (1890)

Eastman Memorial

• Eastman family was closely connected to the Loring family
• Prominent members of Minneapolis society, especially with development of Nicollet Island.

MFD Memorial

• Minneapolis Fire Department Relief Association monument
• Honors firefighters who have lost their lives protecting property and people of this community.
• Erected in 1892, the memorial features a fireman in dress uniform – a long coat and square-billed cap.

Maggie Menzel Memorial

• 1st person buried at Lakewood Cemetery
• 19 year old Maggie Menzel (d. 24 January 1872)
• I could find no mention is made of her connections with which she earned the honor of being the first person buried here!

GAR Memorial

• Grand Army of the Republic Memorial
• Donated by Lakewood Cemetery Association (1889)
• Civil War soldier is a tribute to the many men from Minnesota who died during the Civil War (1861-65).
• Near the memorial stands a Sawyer cannon made for the Union Army. This cannon represents a breakthrough in cannon design and is the only one existing model of its type remaining in the United States.

Washburn “A” Flour Mill Explosion Memorial

• An obelisk erected in 1885 commemorates the 18 men killed in the infamous 1878 Washburn “A” Mill explosion.
• Built of limestone (1874) by C.C. Washburn, the “A” Mill was the largest flour mill in the area.
• May 1878, a spark set off an explosion that rocked the city like an earthquake. The explosion and resulting fire, which engulfed six mills, remain one of the worst disasters in Minneapolis history.

This monument was of special interest to me as my great, great-grandfather worked at the Washburn “A” Mill in 1988, after immigrating from Sweden with his family.

Chinese Community Memorial

• Granite pagoda-styled monument, erected in the mid-1960s,
• Marks a section in Lakewood where many leaders of the Minneapolis Chinese community are buried.

Minnesota has historically been home to a small but thriving Chinese community. Despite the high cost, early Chinese immigrants favored returning the bones of their deceased to China to be buried near ancestors’ graves. The practice ended in the 1930s with the Japanese invasion of China.

Babyland

• A section along the west fence of Lakewood set aside just for infants and young children.
• Created in the early 1960s, it was the first section to feature a central monument. 
• White statue is of Jesus and an infant.
• Marble pedestal reads: “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven.”

Elks Rest

• Life-sized bronze elk guards members of the Brotherhood of Paternal Order of Elks, a fraternal organization.
• Created by E.L. Harvey
• Stands on a boulder overlooking Lakewood’s Jo Lake.
• Buried around the statue are many Elks who have died since 1900.