There is something so enchantingly beautiful and mysterious about a cemetery. The different grave markers – some large, elaborate and fancy, others small and simple – the names, the families, the legacies.
As usual, I find myself drawn to their stories. Who were they? What is their history? What impact did they have on this earth? Why did she die so young? What a long life he lived, what did he see in this world? Markers representing people who once walked this earth, some long before me, others only newly departed. What stories they must have had.
Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland, OH is full of these stories. It’s the keeper of secrets from lives long since gone and provides a glimpse into history for anyone interested enough to search for it. But what makes Lakeview really special is, it’s also a garden cemetery, meant to be walked, appreciated and adored.
And this is exactly where we found ourselves on Graduation Weekend, this past May.
It boasts 285 beautifully decorated acres with five different species of trees and an abundance of flora and fauna. However, Lakeview is most notably known for several of its monuments and a long list of famous people including:
President James A. Garfield – 20th President of the United States
Dr. Harvey Cushing – “The pioneer of modern neurosurgery”
Garret Morgan – inventor of the tri-color traffic light and gas mask
John D. Rockefeller – United States’ first billionaire and founder of Standard Oil
Eliot Ness – a Prohibition Agent famous for bringing down Al Capone
Daffodil Hill
We started the afternoon at Lakeview’s famous Daffodil Hill with over 100,000 daffodils in bloom. What a breathtaking sight! I could have sat among the daffodil’s all afternoon but we lingered just long enough to capture some photos and enjoy the warmth of the sun on our faces.
The famous weeping angel
Next we sought out Haserot’s Angel, appropriately named the Angel of Death Victorious. This weeping angel statue is likely the most famous monument in the cemetery aside from Garfield’s tomb. Standing in front of her as the sun glistened through the trees, I couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of sadness.
Her most striking feature is the streaks of “black tears” pouring down her face as she guards the Haserot grave. Often onlookers are so struck by her face they miss the fact that she is holding a torch upside-down which symbolizes extinguished life. While it is understood the black tears formed as the bronze weathered, there are many urban legends about this stoic statue and a visit to Haserot’s Angel is sure to leave you mystified.
Letterboxing at Lakeview
After this reflective stop, we turned our attention to one of our favorite hobbies: Letterboxing.
Those of you who are not familiar with Letterboxing, it is similar to geocaching in the sense that you follow a series of clues on the AtlasQuest website to find the box you seek. Instead of a trinket inside, you will find a hand carved rubber ink stamp and a log book. When you letterbox, make sure you take along your own ink stamp, ink pad and a notebook! When you find a box, stamp the hand carved stamp into your notebook, place your personal stamp in the logbook inside the box and sign your name and location.
Letterboxes are hidden all over the world giving the seeker an opportunity to explore and learn about somewhere new, which was the case with Lakeview that day. Because it is a garden cemetery, Lakeview grants permission for boxes to be hidden on the grounds. We found several while visiting but got so wrapped up in our hunt that we didn’t realize the cemetery had closed while we were still inside! Good thing is, this is a daily occurrence with visitors and we simply had to wait at the ornate wrought iron gates for the guards to let us out!
One last adventure for the day…
To add to our day of adventure, when we stopped for dinner on the way home, we saw a set of train tracks waiting to be explored and way in the distance something caught my eye! Walking the tracks as the sun started to set made for some lovely photos of this perfect red caboose car we found!
By the time we got home and crawled into bed, I felt relaxed and happy. Lakeview is such a hidden gem and the Fall is a perfect time to explore. October, especially, if you’re looking to add some spookiness to your day!
Next time you find yourself in Cleveland, take the afternoon off and head just outside of the city to visit this amazing place. It is sure to leave you feeling reflective and relaxed as you enjoy it’s history and grandeur.
Have you visited Lakeview Cemetery? What are some of your favorite spots? Sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on my favorite places to visit in Cleveland!