We were driving up Mayfield Avenue in Cleveland last week, and I remembered that the James A. Garfield memorial was in Lakeview Cemetery — just a left turn away. I’ve seen pictures of it, but for some reason I’d never been there before. Considering its historical interest and general architectural impressiveness (it is the most elaborate of Presidential tombs, bigger than Grant’s) you’d think it would be a regular tour stop for school field trips in the area.
The memorial itself is 180 feet tall, mostly consisting of a large circular tower. There are stairs up, but they were closed when we were there. I don’t know if that was a temporary thing or not. The exterior has lots of these bas reliefs.
The building cost something like a quarter of a million dollars, which converted to 2007 is … well, a lot. Somewhere between $5 million and $28 million.
And as you climb up the stops you immediately see the fine details.
Which continues inside with beautifully made mosaics and frescoes.
And stained glass windows, each representing one of the original thirteen colonies. This is New Jersey’s.
The centerpiece is the towering white marble statue of Garfield. The beauty of this pure stone is really on display here. It’s positively luminescent.
A steep and narrow spiral staircase leads down to the mausoleum itself.
Where caskets containing the remains of the President and his wife stand surrounded by heavy iron bars and marked with a simple bronze plaque reading “silence.” Also there are urns with the ashes of his daughter and son-in-law.
Apologies for the out-of-focus shot; we were trying to be respectful and not shoot with a flash, and this was the best we could do.
It’s a wonderfully impressive monument, and well worth the small detour it takes to see it. Admission to the cemetery and memorial are free. The grounds are beautifully cared for, and the cemetery has other architectural landmarks and noted internees as well.