Wooldridge Monuments, Historical grave monuments in Maplewood Cemetery, Mayfield, United States.
The Wooldridge Monuments are eighteen marble and limestone statues arranged in a procession that depicts family members, pets, and wildlife in a single burial ground. They sit in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield and represent an unusual approach to memorial sculpture from the 1800s.
Colonel Henry Wooldridge commissioned the statues between 1892 and 1899 in response to losses within his family. The creation of this memorial extended over several years as more family members passed away, with Wooldridge eventually becoming the only person buried at this site.
The statues show how wealthy families in the 1800s honored their dead and valued their pets as family members. The arrangement reveals personal bonds and emotions that were important enough to capture in stone for future generations.
The site is open to the public and can be visited freely at any time of day. Viewing the sculptures is best during daylight hours when sunlight highlights the details carved into the stone.
Two hunting dogs named Towhead and Bob are carved chasing a fox and deer, created by local artisans from Mayfield and Paducah. These personalized animal figures were unusual for burial grounds and show Wooldridge's desire to preserve even the passions of his lifetime.
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