Oak Grove Memorial Building

Marietta Daily Times, October 11, 1917

Beautiful Community Mausoleum Building of Granite, Marble and Bronze, to be Located in Oak Grove Cemetery.

One of the most important movements along the lines of civic improvement ever attempted in this, or any other city, is now on foot and within a few months Marietta will be able to boast of one of the most beautiful and magnificent mausoleums to be found in the state. For some months past the Marietta City Council have been carefully investigating the subject and arrangements are now fully completed to carry the project to fulfillment.

Thoughts Turned to Sanitation.

In studying the histories of all races through past ages, it is found that when a nation had reached a high degree of civilization, it turned more and more to sanitary improvements, and in keeping with these sentiments, a better means was sought to take care of their dead than that found in earth burial with its accompanying horrors of decay, putrefaction and decomposition. Under high civilization earth interment has always been regarded with horror and a better and more sanitary method of above ground entombment was resorted to. The proof of this change of sentiment in the heart of the nation is found in the pyramids of Egypt, the Catacombs of Rome, the tombs of the Caliphs, the thousands of tombs along the Appian Way, and in our own country by the thousands of tombs and vaults which have been built within the past few years, and the costly and imposing tombs we have erected out of respect for our Lincolns Grants, and McKinleys.

High State of Civilization.

The people of the United States are living today in a higher state of civilization than any other nation in the world's history, and as a result sanitation and humane undertakings of every kind are daily being forcibly promoted throughout the length and breadth of the land, and it is this general wave of sentiment towards better things, sanitary and humane, which has made the community crypt mausoleum popular, offering as it does at a small cost of a better method of taking care of the dead than ever attempted before.

Mausoleum in Many Cities.

Over one thousand cities and towns in the United States have erected community mausoleums within the past five years, these buildings containing nearly five hundred thousand crypt or compartments, and while Marietta is therefore far from being the first to adopt this progressive idea without doubt one of the most beautiful of its kind, and will stand a delight and inspiration to all loyal citizens, and as a monument to their intelligence, humanity and sentiments.

Oak Grove Memorial Building.

Inspection of the approval and accepted plans and specifications of the building which will be known as the Oak Grove Memorial Building, reveals one of grandeur and beauty. The style of architecture is colossal, grand and imposing. The exterior is of granite, massive and indestructible, and durable throughout all the time. The interior is one vast expanse of marble, beautiful and everlasting. Massive bronze doors and cathedral windows make the structure particularly beautiful and imposing as it is possible for human ingenuity to construct.

Within this mighty structure, a monument, which for magnificence, dignity and durability cannot be surpassed, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, husbands and wives can be side by side through the long eternal sleep, each preserving the human form, separated only by the walls of their chambers, calm, peaceful and a source of constant satisfaction to those of the living who know that they have done the best thing possible for their loved ones, and are themselves saved the pangs of sorrow incident to the thought of the unpleasant consequence of earth burial.

One of the most beautiful sites, almost the highest point, in Oak grove Cemetery has been selected as a location for this building, which will be erected under the patented construction of the American Mausoleum Company, for thirty years the leading mortuary architects of the country.

When the building is completed, a sufficient endowment fund will be created, the interest from which will be used to maintain the building, and thereafter it will be governed by the rules of the Marietta City Council.

Mr. Charles R. Raynor, field manager of the American Mausoleum Co., whose offices are in Cleveland, and granite plant at Clyde, Ohio, will take full charge of the subsidiary company, which will be known as the Marietta American Mausoleum Company, with offices in the German National Bank building. Mr. Raynor is one of the pioneers of the "Community Mausoleum" in this country, being responsible for the erection of a number of these buildings, over an area extending from New York state to California.

This gentleman speaks very highly of our beautiful Oak Grove Cemetery and goes so far as to say that he considers it the most beautiful and best kept cemetery in any city of its size, and does not except but very few larger ones. It was in connection with a chance visit to Oak Grove that he decided on this project and says the location for this building is absolutely the best of any he has ever been connected with.

Subscription lists for space in the building will be open in the course of a few days. The prices will be moderate and will compare more favorably with those of earth interment. Office of the company, 300 German Bank building. Phone 714-R.