Consolations of Memory: Death and Mourning in the Nineteenth Century

‘Consolation of Memory’ is a guided cemetery walk of the area surrounding Hotchkiss Chapel.  Each year focus’ on a different topic related to life, death, and mourning in the mid 19th century.  During the tour, guests will learn about tragic events in St. Louis’ history. funeral and burial practices, how the dead were remembered as the lives of those left behind to mourn and loss. The tour is followed immediately by a funeral reenactment, procession and burial service. 2019’s tour will focus on the history and development of 19th-century rural cemeteries and will be followed by a reenactment of the 1866 funeral of Maurice D. Blaine.

EVENT LOGISTICS

This is a free event but registration is required. To help managing parking, we ask that you RSVP for your anticipated arrival time.         Once you are parked, please proceed to the registration tent for assignment of your guide who will lead you through the stations of the event.  Complimentary parking and public restrooms will be available. Enter at the main gate of the cemetery and you will be directed to the parking area. This is a rain or shine event (except for excessive lightning.) Consolation of Memory is presented by the Mourning Society of Saint Louis with support from Bellefontaine Cemetery & Arboretum

ABOUT THE MOURNING SOCIETY OF ST. LOUIS

We are a civilian re-enacting group with a focus on mid-nineteenth century mourning, death culture, funeral customs and Victorian spiritualism but we often branch out into other eras and topics from St Louis history such as the ladies of the 1916 Golden Lane Protest, the 1904 World’s Fair and World War I. The Mourning Society has participated in events at Bellefontaine Cemetery and The Missouri History Museum. Save Save Save Save Save