Graceland Cemetery, Historic garden cemetery in Uptown, Chicago, United States
Graceland Cemetery is a garden cemetery in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, with curving paths and a small lake spread across roughly 121 acres (49 hectares) of planted grounds. The site holds over 2000 trees and monuments representing different periods of American architectural history.
Thomas Barbour Bryan established the site in 1860 as an alternative to the older municipal burial ground, with his son Daniel becoming the first person laid to rest here. Landscape architects O.C. Simonds and H.W.S. Cleveland shaped the appearance over the following decades.
The name reflects an early vision of a cemetery as a garden space where mourners could walk among trees and water. Many visitors come to see how architects and sculptors used the grounds to experiment with memorial design.
A walking visit can take anywhere from one to several hours depending on the route, with paths that are easy to follow. An online database helps locate specific graves, and guided tours are available for individuals and groups.
The design won recognition at the 1900 Paris Exposition for landscape architecture. Some of the sculptors who worked here are buried on the grounds, with their creations standing near their own graves.
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