The funeral procession made a statement about status. As years went by, the method of transportation to the cemetery changed, but it usually reflected the status of the deceased. One method before the motorized hearse became common by both the rich and ordinary families, the funeral operating on rails.
Month: August 2017
Catholic Cemetery – Chicago 1842
(Also known as: First Calvary, Old Catholic, North Ave Burying Ground)
An Irish Catholic cemetery bounded by North, Schiller, Wolcott (now State), and Lake Michigan (Then approx. Astor Street )
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois North Township
Section: 3 Township 39 Range: 14
Originally 10 acres, later about 30 acres Open: 1842 – circa 1900
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In 1842, Father de Saint Palais purchased 10 acres of an area bounded by North Avenue (1600 north), Schiller Street (1400 north), Wolcott (now State St), and Lake Michigan (The Lake Michigan shoreline of 1842 was farther inland than it’s present location, back then approximately Astor Street)
Northside Cemetery – Chicago 1835
Southside Cemetery – Chicago 1835
South Township Section: 27 Township 39 Range: 14
Open circa: 1835- 1847
Let us remember a cemetery whose site later became a major Chicago brewery and now is the huge McCormick Place convention center and hotel complex.
About 1833, sixteen acres of land were purchased for a municipal town cemetery but reserved for Catholics. On August 15, 1835, the town surveyor was ordered to survey the property and completed the task on August 26. The Northside Cemetery was laid out at the same time, a subject of a separate blog post on this website. Continue reading “Southside Cemetery – Chicago 1835”