View of "Lullabyland" on a smoggy day.

Forest Lawn, today a large chain of cemeteries and mortuary services throughout Southern California, is supposed to have pioneered at its original Glendale location the twentieth century funerary industry's greatest technical development: Marking graves with copper plaques fixed to concrete blocks lying flush with the ground instead of upright engraved stones, allowing for the kind of large-scale landscaping required to maintain the thousands of acres of grassy, rolling hills with room for millions of burials that its marketing materials call "memorial parks."

Grave of L. Frank Baum; Great Mausoleum in the background.

Between The Loved One and Jessica Mitford's The American Way of Death not much remains unsaid about this kitsch paradise, the true proto-Disneyland -- Disney's first studio was on Hyperion Avenue, just across the river -- apart from that it still exists, a devilishly good racket for more than a hundred years, in addition to an excellent case study in invented "tradition."

In fact there's more I'd like to say about it than I possibly could: Something about its arrangement speaks to me, vaguely, about the totality of commodity culture. I hope I can make palpable this edifice with photos and fragmentary descriptions of some of its features, though it really deserves a much lengthier treatment, both fuller description and deeper analysis, than I can presently give.

Forest Lawn's best-known chapel is the "Wee Kirk o' the Heather" with its stone describing the building as a "reconstruction of Annie Laurie's Church," perhaps an early attempt by the cemetery to diversify its business, in this case by entering the wedding market. With the popular themed restaurant "Tam O'Shanter" just down the street (another alleged Walt Disney hang-out), the 1920s seem to have been a big time for pseudo-medieval Scotch romance.

Facing the church is "the Wishing Chair":

Forest Lawn has built this Annie Laurie Wishing Chair of stone which once composed a part of the old Wee Kirk at Glencairn where Annie Laurie worshipped.

In Glencairn they say the Fairies have blessed these stones. Tradition tells us that good fortune will forever smile upon the bride and bridegroom who sit in this chair on their wedding day and, hand in hand, recite together the verse on the tablet in front of The Wishing Chair.

The inscription on the tablet itself is written in exaggerated Robert Burns-style "Scots":

Busk't i' oor braws, an' a' oor lane
We're doupit i' the wissin' chair,
Whilk spaes bien fairin tae ilka ane
Wha gies a bridal hansel there.

Given in English on a copper plaque below as:

Dressed in our best and all alone,
We sit within the wishing chair
Which bodes success for everyone
Exchanging bridal kisses there.

The path to the Wee Kirk's toilets passes a walled garden with a stone bearing one of the cemetery's many messages from the "board of trustees," always addressed to passersby directly in the second person:

Reserved

This little garden has been reserved for those of you who desire to draw apart and rest awhile in silent meditation and prayer. Sightseers will please not enter this garden but retrace your steps and view the garden from the Vestry Walk.

Board of Trustees

Within the walled garden is one of at least two reproductions of Bertel Thorvaldsen's "Christus" statue the cemetery has on display. For years one of Forest Lawn's primary advertising appeals was its many marble copies of European sculpture: This is a place where people will want to visit you, both beautiful and edifying. Whatever educational end, in a time before color photographs of such distant things became so readily available, such a collection may have really served, these sculptures are usually paired with inscriptions instructing the viewer just how to look at them:

The original of this sublime work of art stands in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark, surrounded by other masterpieces portraying the Twelve Apostles of the Saviour.

Jesus is depicted as He appeared among the assembled Apostles after the resurrection when He greeted them with the salutation - "Peace be with you." The Christ of Thorvaldsen comforts the grieving and blesses the joyous. It is an epic in marble which seems to breathe the very essence of Christianity - not the Christianity of any sect or creed, but that of Jesus Himself, as expressed in the Motto in the Little Church of the Flowers - "A new Commandment I give unto you - that ye love one another."

Thorvaldsen was a pupil of the Great Canova. His most noted masterpiece, next to "The Christus," is "The Lion of Lucerne."

The most spectacular and sprawling building on the property is also the most restricted: the "Great Mausoleum," of whose many entrances sightseers are only allowed through the main portal, past this imposing monument to "the Builder's Creed," looked upon by a sculpture of children with puppy. Children frozen in marble are a common theme here; on the other hand fleshly pets, live or dead, aren't allowed anywhere in the cemetery.

The Builder's Creed

I believe in a Happy Eternal Life.

I believe those of us who are left behind should be glad in the certain belief that those gone before, who believed in Him, have entered into that happier Life.

I believe, most of all, in a Christ that smiles and loves you and me.

I therefore know the cemeteries of today are wrong, because they depict an end, not a beginning. They have consequently become unsightly stoneyards full of inartistic symbols and depressing customs; places that do nothing for humanity save a practical act, and that not well.

I therefore prayerfully resolve on this New Year’s Day, 1917, that I shall endeavor to build Forest Lawn as different, as unlike other cemeteries as sunshine is unlike darkness, as Eternal Life is unlike death. I shall try to build at Forest Lawn a great park, devoid of misshapen monuments and other customary signs of earthly death, but filled with towering trees, sweeping lawns, splashing fountains, singing birds, beautiful statuary, cheerful flowers, noble memorial architecture with interiors full of light and color, and redolent of the world’s best history and romances.

I believe these things educate and uplift a community.

Forest Lawn shall become a place where lovers new and old shall love to stroll and watch the sunset’s glow, planning for the future or reminiscing of the past; a place where artists study and sketch; where school teachers bring happy children to see the things they read of in books, where little churches invite, triumphant in the knowledge that from their pulpits only words of Love can be spoken; where memorialization of loved ones in sculptured marble and pictorial glass shall be encouraged but controlled by acknowledged artists; a place where the sorrowing will be soothed and strengthened because it will be God’s garden. A place that shall be protected by an immense Endowment Care Fund, the principal of which can never be expended—only the income therefrom used to care for and perpetuate this Garden of Memory.

This is the Builder’s Dream; this is the Builder’s Creed.

At no other Forest Lawn cemetery is this much space closed to the public; a strict no photos policy is itself enforced by security cameras. "The Builder," Hubert Eaton, who started with the firm as a salesman, is buried in a prominent niche in the largest room in the mausoleum into which visitors are allowed, a rib-vaulted gallery full of marble copies of Michelangelo sculptures, at the end of which is a full-scale replica of Leonardo's Last Supper in stained glass, backlit by electric lights timed to synchronize with an audio presentation that explains the figures in the picture. According to the Forest Lawn web site, "The work of art took nearly seven years to complete, three years longer than Leonardo’s original." Prominently placed in the same room is the grave of Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore, the Stone Mountain Confederacy Memorial, and the Statue of Liberty's old glass torch.

"This statue may be purchased as a
private memorial and moved to an
approved location in Forest Lawn."

Almost everything one passes is merchandise, either grave ornaments or burial sites.

"Flower rooms" are provided throughout the mausoleum with sinks, standard metal crypt vases, and instructions for how to operate the poles one needs to get them into high-up holders. Here we encounter another message from the "board of trustees" explaining decoration guidelines and forbidding installation of "artificial flowers." though it may be that "flowers come from God," for your convenience Forest Lawn has a flower shop on-site.

Dear Friend:

Flowers come from God and are a fitting symbol of life in all its beauty. Flowers are the embodiment of our hope for eternal life. The use of flowers therefore is an eloquent testimony of love and respect, and is a beautiful and effective memorialization.

Imitation flowers, ribbons, "treated" blossoms, and "everlasting" flowers, however, are man-made, and can never provide the same symbolism or the same beauty. As they become dirty and unsightly, they create an impression of neglect, rather than of remembrance. The so-called "everlasting flowers" become brittle as they dry out and drop off, adding further to this impression. In much the same way, the use of earth in vases designed for water creates problems of care and maintenance.

For these reasons it is not possible to permit artificial flowers, "everlasting" flowers, "treated" flowers, ribbons, and planting in vases as decorations. Memorials may be decorated only with cut flowers in regulation vases, except at the time of entombment and on Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. On these occasions, potted plants and baskets of flowers may be placed, at the owner's responsibility, for three days. These special receptacles should then be called for promptly.

We respectfully insist that these regulations be observed. Additional questions regarding them will be answered at the Forest Lawn Flower Shop. We thank you for your cooperation.

Board of Trustees

A marble dais at the southern tip of the cemetery honors Freemasonry, with a plaque giving the date of its erection "Anno Lucis" (the age of the world, presuming its creation occurred in the year 4000 BC). Mounting the platform one can see over the barbed-wire fence along the property's edge toward warehouses fronting train tracks and the the Glendale Freeway. Most of the rest of the property abuts neighborhoods of detached houses.

"Lullabyland" is one of two sections specially demarcated for the burial of children, both of which are identifiable from a distance by their heart-shaped roads. Though Lullabyland's is only a walkway, the road through Babyland can be driven on; signs throughout the park announce a speed limit of 25 miles per hour. The poem on this plaque is attributed to E. A. Brininstool.

Higher amid the hills, along the property's northeastern edge, a newer, larger replica of "the Christus" is mounted over a rock wall fountain with lengthier explanatory tablets:

When Nazis descended upon Italy to loot that country's art treasures during World War II, this full sized reproduction of Thorvaldsen's famed statue, "The Christus," sat on a Genoa dock, ready for shipment to Forest Lawn. The eleven foot marble sculpture was given up as lost. If not stolen, it was sure to end up as collateral damage from the war.

Fortunately, allies from the Italian underground, at great risk to themselves hid and guarded the statue for more than four years until the war ended. At last "The Christus" arrived at Forest Lawn where it stands today as a symbol of hope, unscathed by the ravages of war.

Jesus is depicted here standing among his frightened disciples following the resurrection, greeting them with the salutation "Peace be unto you." From the slightly lowered head and noble features to the hands extended in blessing, the artist has endowed his subject's features with compassion and love.

Thorvaldsen's original statue, from which this exact reproduction was made, stands in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. An elderly woman, who helped care for the interior of the church, once put into words what the sculptor's genius has expressed in marble. She said, "To see the real beauty of 'The Christus,' you must look into His eyes, and you can do that only if you kneel at his feet."

Conveniently for the pious visitor, this copy's higher position obviates the kneeling, though a small marble altar is provided for those who still wish to.

They also have a copy of "David by Michelangelo Buonarroti," but it was covered up for restoration when I visited. Another large inscription in stone alongside it explains its significance:

History records no nobler character than David. No deed of courage surpassed his triumph over Goliath, no story of human affection is more touching than that of the friendship between David and Jonathan. No poems have more powerfully appealed to the hearts and souls of men than David's psalms.

In defense of his people, 3000 years ago, this shepherd boy, armed only with a sling, met and defeated the giant, Goliath. Because he had faith in the power of God, David went forth without fear.

Michelangelo, when 26 years old, sculptured this triumphant hero from a marble block that had been discarded a century before as being too narrow for a figure. Many doubted the wisdom of such an attempt on the oddly shaped block. So close were his calculations, however, that the rough surfaces remained at the head and base. The great weight of 10 tons, and a height of 16 feet, 9 inches, balanced perfectly.

Strength is shown in the statue--strength of muscle, strength of purpose, strength of fearless faith. "David" appears confident of victory. He eyes the Philistine with a look of defiance. Next instant he will attack.

This exact reproduction of "David" is sculptured from a single block of Carrara marble taken from the same quarry as Michelangelo's. It portrays the dauntless courage of David--courage born of infinite faith and trust in God as expressed in David's own words:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" ...Psalm 27:1

This work of art has been brought to Forest Lawn that you, reverent visitor may be inspired by the heroic story of David.

The Mystery of Life was also closed for construction, but I managed to take a peek through a heavy copper door.

Men at work on the Mystery of Life.

Despite the restrictions detailed on the flower room sign pictured above, many graves along the slopes of the cemetery's rolling hills had been decorated for Halloween.

Contrasting with the old European themes, a more modern and secular but no less grand and devotional burial setting is available atop a hill toward the park's eastern edge at the Courts of Freedom and Liberty.

The Liberty Chain

Part of the chain stretched across the Hudson River in 1776 to prevent the passage of British ships, which could cut the colonies in two. Danger was imminent. The British had taken New York City. At the river's mouth, General Washington ordered the river obstructed below Fort Clinton, 70 miles to the north. Here the Hudson was only 1800 feet wide, about the length of the chain forged in 1775 to protect Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain after its daring capture by Ethan Allen. The chain was painfully hauled all the way from Vermont in a desperate race against time. On November 27 the ponderous obstruction was swung into place.

The text is followed by a labeled diagram "copied from the original map found among the papers of the Secret Committee for the defense of the Hudson Highlands (1776)" showing the chain's position amid the riverside fortifications.

The Freedom Mausoleum, smaller and fully open to the public, has a modern, proportional look in contrast with the Italianate Great Mausoleum a full mile down the hill by road.

"The American's Creed" by William Tyler Page

Stained glass with Hoover Dam, Manhattan skyline,
and Golden Gate Bridge motifs.

Columbarium of the Patriots

Stained glass with "The First Thanksgiving" motif
in the Sanctuary of Gratitude.

Columbarium of Blessedness

A copper plaque framed by a bundled rod motif in a gated garden adjacent to the entrance of the Freedom Mausoleum memorializes Walt Disney himself. There is a clear parallel between how what Disney intended to achieve with Disneyland is presented today and the "Builder's Creed" outlined above.

Beyond the burials we find a service road lined with the concrete vaults in which the dead get sealed underground, giving us an idea of what's going on under those shapely green hills. A typical funeral package which, at the time of writing, Forest Lawn advertises at between about $7000 and $16000, comes with your choice of a "basic," "standard," or "deluxe" casket to see your "loved one" enter one of these things in.

The large building at the highest point in the cemetery was built to house the enormous crucifixion painting by Jan Styka which, according to the Forest Lawn web site,

was originally brought by Styka to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904. Because of its massive 195 foot long/45 foot high size, he was unable to display it and was forced to return to Poland without it because he could not pay the duty to take it home. Styka, whose self-portrait is seen in the painting as the figure of Saul (Paul), died in 1925 without ever seeing his painting again.

During my visit it was, unfortunately, closed.

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