Rediscovering the Rural Cemetery Movement: America’s First Parks and Their Lasting Impact - Part Two

Changing Attitudes Toward Death

The Rural Cemetery Movement created a shift in societal attitudes toward death. As before, graveyards were often seen as grim and foreboding, tied closely to religious institutions and dominated by dark symbols of mortality. Rural cemeteries, by contrast, embraced life, spirituality, and tranquility.

Through elegant landscaping and the use of uplifting symbols on headstones, these cemeteries transformed the grieving process. As Charles Jackson observed in his research on 19th-century mourning practices, the serene environments of rural cemeteries allowed people to process loss in a healthier way.

The terminology surrounding death also evolved during this period. Words like “graveyard” were replaced with “cemetery,” a term derived from the Greek word meaning “sleeping place.” This linguistic shift reflected the movement’s focus on hope and peace rather than fear and finality. The term graveyard is still used, usually in reference to resting places in church yards.

Leisure and Tourism in Cemeteries

For many Americans, rural cemeteries became cultural destinations. Historian Blanche Linden-Ward captured the public’s fascination with these spaces in her work, describing how tourists and locals alike flocked to cemeteries like Mount Auburn to admire their beauty. Letters from the period recount visitors marveling at the grounds and even noting the presence of notable figures buried there.

These cemeteries served a dual purpose: they were places for solemn reflection and spaces for joyful leisure. By blending nature, art, and community, they became microcosms of how Americans sought to balance life’s weightier moments with its lighter joys.

Modern Critiques and Perspectives

In more recent years, scholars have taken a nuanced view of the Rural Cemetery Movement. environmental historian Aaron Sachs, for example, has critiqued the romanticized narratives surrounding these spaces. While he acknowledged their beauty and cultural significance, Sachs also highlighted the tensions and challenges involved in their creation, including opposition from local communities and the labor that made these spaces possible.

Sachs argued that cemeteries were not merely places to escape modernity but also spaces to confront it. They offered a sanctuary where visitors could grapple with both personal grief and broader societal changes.

Legacy and Revival

Though modern parks have largely overshadowed rural cemeteries as places of leisure, efforts are underway to revive these historic spaces. Organizations are working to reconnect communities with their local cemeteries, highlighting their original purpose as places for both life and memory.

The Rural Cemetery Movement left an indelible mark on American culture, urban planning, and attitudes toward death. By reimagining burial grounds as vibrant, multifunctional spaces, the movement not only addressed practical challenges but also reshaped how people viewed the relationship between life, death, and nature.

As we continue to explore innovative ways to design urban spaces, the lessons of the Rural Cemetery Movement remain relevant. These cemeteries remind us of the importance of blending beauty, utility, and community in our shared environments—a vision as vital today as it was nearly two centuries ago.

Elmwood Cemetery

Please note - This is a summary of a twelve-page historiography final. If you would like to view the paper in its entirety and/or view the sources used, please visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_nQ1GVJ76Oi0-XXGU2ySNMoMdte3Qn5t/view?usp=drive_link   

Within the sources used are many works that will help you understand the movement from the start, as stated in the words of Bigelow. 

With love,

TashasGraveAdventures