Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

  Born in Lee, Massachusetts, Thomas Clark Durant attended Albany Medical School, earned a degree and, for a time, taught surgery. However, after becoming aware of the need for better transportation, he became involved in the railroad industry. When he became involved in a lawsuit about a bridge, he hired a young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln to defend him. This connection paid off when Lincoln became president and, in 1862, gave Durant’s company, the Union Pacific, a big part of building the Transcontinental Railroad. Although construction faced delays due to the Civil War, Durant took advantage of the situation by secretly bringing in cotton from the Confederate States to make money. After the war, railroad construction resumed, and Durant organized publicity stunts to draw attention and investors. A memorable moment was when he swung the sledgehammer to drive the Golden Spike into the ground in Promontory, Utah, completing the Transcontinental Railway. Durant died in 1885, but th...

Wealthy industrialists William Robertson and Mary "Mai" Rogers Coe,  are entombed within a stately mausoleum in a leafy alcove toward the eastern end of Memorial Cemetery of St. John's Church on Long Island's north shore.  Their former Oyster Bay homestead has served as a state park—Planting Fields Arboretum—since 1949, are entombed within a stately mausoleum in a leafy alcove toward the eastern end of the cemetery.

John Dustin Archbold was a key figure of the Gilded Age. He worked for John D. Rockefeller’s company, Standard Oil, where he served alternately as vice president, president, and a member of the board of directors. The Archbold mausoleum, situated across from William Rockefeller's mausoleum, is a unique structure. Crafted from green granite by Troy Granite in Worcester, Massachusetts, it stands at an impressive 36 feet by 36 feet and reaches a height of 32 feet, housing 12 crypts.The mausoleum, and its bronze doors, were designed by the New York firm of Morris, Butler and Rodman Architects. The Norcross Brothers, a 19th century construction company, oversaw the building of the structure. Inside, the glass mosaic ceiling, a true work of art, was painstakingly crafted by Otto Heinigke (1850-1915) and features a myriad of Christian symbols, including the Agnes Dei (lamb of God), winged depictions of the four evangelists, angels, and crosses, each with its own fascinating story to tell.

  Stephen Whitney was the second richest man in the world when he died, second only to Jacob Astor.  Whitney amassed his fortune as a merchant cotton speculator—and real estate investor. Though known for his frugality, he is reported to have left behind more than $12 million, more than enough to have Whitney Chapel, as his octagonal mausoleum is known, built in his memory. The mausoleum is situated atop Ocean Hill and resembles a stone cottage. It is surrounded by tall trees, which keep the area shaded and give it a woodsy feel. It has thick steel doors that give way to Whitney’s name engraved in large letters in the arch over the door. The roof is steep, and at the top is a cross. Of particular interest are the lancet windows -- a specific style of construction, also known as Lancet Gothic; the most distinguishing characteristic of the lancet window is the pointed arch. These particular arches are also found in an arcade area of Westminster Abbey in London. Inside t...