The Art and Architecture of Death
A small Doric mausoleum distinguished by its arched doorway, rare in Doric mausoleums in Pittsburgh. (Old Pa Pitt has a backlog of cemetery pictures with fall colors, so don’t be surprised to see more of them this winter.)
Rusticated blocks and Doric columns are a popular combination for good reason: the Doric style is simple enough to go well with rough-cut stone, which adds interest to the otherwise blank side walls.
A Doric mausoleum distinguished by its rusticated stone everywhere but the columns.
This small Doric mausoleum bears a fine life-size sculpture with an ungrammatical inscription that always irritates old Pa Pitt every time he sees it.
This is the Pitcairn for whom the borough of Pitcairn is named, a bigwig in the Pennsylvania Railroad. He built himself a large and tasteful Corinthian mausoleum to rest in. Next to it is a spectacular Ginkgo biloba in full autumn splendor.
A simple and traditional Doric mausoleum in a beautiful fall landscape. Mr. Succop was the president of the Germania Savings Bank and on the board of a number of other banks and manufacturers.
A small classical mausoleum in very good taste; the Boston ivy is always a picturesque touch, but especially in the fall. The name “Taylor” was added to the pediment later.
William H. Walker (1841-1904) had his portrait rendered in stained glass for the back of his mausoleum, which is the sort of thing you can do if you have the money to put up a large Ionic mausoleum like this one.
A sturdy-looking Doric mausoleum built in 1895. It looks even sturdier because the entrance, where there were probably once bronze doors, has been filled in with concrete.
A huge and opulent Ionic mausoleum crowned by a cupola on which stands a figure of Hope shaking her fist at heaven. At least that is how it has always looked to old Pa Pitt. The Schreiners must have had quite a lot of money, but they have left few other obvious historical traces of themselves.
