Lakeview Cemetery - Cleveland, Ohio (Part 1)

It's time to kick off another season of Cemetery Sundays, where I grab my camera and tour the grounds of local cemeteries, documenting the ornate beauty of older sculptures, mausoleums and tombstones. This has become one of the more exciting things that I look forward to sharing each October. I find that checking out for a few hours to roam a quiet cemetery alone is a much needed break from the hectic schedule of rest of the week.

And to kick off the 2016 season, I'm starting with a doozy. Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland is world-renowned for it's size, history and beauty. It has been at the very top of my list of cemeteries to visit and last week, I was able to get up early and make the drive up.

Upon arrival, I was not disappointed. A massive cemetery covering 285 acres with over 100,000 burial plots, and it was all to my own. When all was said and done, I had covered the entire cemetery in just under 4 hours, walking a total of 5.5 miles, and snapping 175 photos. I was completely exhausted, but every second was worth it. Everywhere I turned, I found beautiful old sculptures, mausoleums and tombstones. For this project, I focused on the older pieces throughout the grounds, as well as some of the famous names interred there. And even then, I still have to break up the photos into two separate posts!

So sit back and enjoy my photos from Lakeview Cemetery...

The James A. Garfield Monument

Burial place of the twentieth President of the United States. Standing 180 feet tall, located in the center of the cemetery.

The E.M. Peck Tombstone and Statues

Located just to the left of the Garfield Monument. Wonderfully eerie gothic figures.

Collinwood School Fire Memorial

A memorial for the 172 students and teachers lost during the tragic Collinwood School (Lake View School) fire on March 4, 1908.

So at this point, I am roughly half way through the cemetery. Stop back next Sunday to see the rest of the photos, including some of the famous (and infamous) names buried here, as well as the world-renowned Haserot Angel.