Cemeteries (Library of Congress Visual Sourcebooks)

A bountifully illustrated exploration of the cemetery in American landscape and narrative.

The newest book in the Norton/Library of Congress takes readers on a visual journey from early churchyards and family plots to the establishment of the nation's first rural cemeteries of the nineteenth century, to the expansive memorial parks and 'green' burials of today. With more than 600 archival photographs and plans that shed light on the great diversity of burial structures and traditions, this comprehensive sourcebook introduces readers to cemeteries' impressive diversity.

Cemeteries examines the extent to which burial grounds of all kinds have held a significant place in our culture. The history and development of cemeteries are limned throughout , from the burial grounds themselves - reflecting a wide variety of ethnic and social groups from almost every state as well as American military cemeteries - to the vast array of related practices and traditions. The intricacy of the various architectural structures (burial chapels, private mausoleums, crematories, and the ironwork of cemetery gates) are examined and placed upon the historical timeline of our nation.

650 black-and-white photographs

Keith Eggener, PhD, associate professor of American art and architecture at the University of Missouri, lives in Columbia.