Ryan McGee
#0
About two years ago, as I walked through a forest path that began in a cemetery, I came across this ruins. The structure is very old. A bridge further down on the path shows a date in the 1890\'s. What I can\'t figure out is what type of building this ruins used to be. I thought perhaps a crematorium or a mausoleum, maybe even a stable. Below is a link to a photo I took of one side. The oppose end of the 4-sided building was near identical. The other two sides had doorways it seemed.
[url=http://www.geocities.com/mcgeerpa/structure.jpg]Structure Near the Cemetery[/url]
Any architects who know this stuff are greatly appreciated!
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Ryan McGee
#9
Perhaps an archaeologist can help me out, too!
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NM
#10
Well, it\'s not a Taco Bell..
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GD
#8
Growing up, I used to tell the other kids at school that I lived in a cemetery, and that we had bats in our belfry. The first statement was a slight exaggeration. The rectory was beside the cemetery not quite in it. The second statement was literally true.
My father is an Episcopal priest, and when I was growing up we lived at St James Kingsessing in southwest Philadelphia, founded by Swedish colonists in 1760. The parish became Anglican after the Revolution as the Swedish colonists dispersed into the general population.
All this is to demonstrate a certain “professional” expertise in the matter at hand.
This structure or vault serves a dual purpose, if as I assume this is in a place with a colder climate.
1. It is simply storage for the “equipment” of running a cemetery. Now-a-days graves are dug by an earthmover vehicle, but in the old days this was done by hand. There is other typical equipment, some of it quite large, and you these things lying around
2. During a cold winter, the ground may be simply undiggable, and so remains may be stored in the vault over the winter until the ground is has defrosted enough for actual internment. This accounts for the stoutness and a lack of windows.
This looks quite old, probably at least early 19th century. I would love to know what you know about this.
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GD
#7
Dorotheos wrote:
and you these things lying around
and you don\'t want these things lying around.
(sorry)
dorotheos
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Ryan McGee
#6
Dorotheos wrote:
Growing up, I used to tell the other kids at school that I lived in a cemetery, and that we had bats in our belfry. The first statement was a slight exaggeration. The rectory was beside the cemetery not quite in it. The second statement was literally true.
My father is an Episcopal priest, and when I was growing up we lived at St James Kingsessing in southwest Philadelphia, founded by Swedish colonists in 1760. The parish became Anglican after the Revolution as the Swedish colonists dispersed into the general population.
All this is to demonstrate a certain “professional” expertise in the matter at hand.
This structure or vault serves a dual purpose, if as I assume this is in a place with a colder climate.
1. It is simply storage for the “equipment” of running a cemetery. Now-a-days graves are dug by an earthmover vehicle, but in the old days this was done by hand. There is other typical equipment, some of it quite large, and you these things lying around
2. During a cold winter, the ground may be simply undiggable, and so remains may be stored in the vault over the winter until the ground is has defrosted enough for actual internment. This accounts for the stoutness and a lack of windows.
This looks quite old, probably at least early 19th century. I would love to know what you know about this.
Thank you for your insights. The cemetery is very old. It is in Steubenville, OH (Union Cemetery). Several of the gravestones go back to the 1700\'s, and there is a significant Civil War section. The building in my picture is located probably 1/4 mile away from the main cemetery. It\'s kind of away from everything else. Near the center off the cemetery there is an old receiving vault, near the old office building. Steubenville can get quite cold (weather is like that in Pittsburgh). It very well may be that the building was used to hold bodies when the ground was too frozen.
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NM
#5
Very interesting... It looks like the windows and doors were sealed in at some point. The fireplace is huge and there is, what looks like, a large nice mantel above the fireplace which makes me think that people lived in this building at one time. The stonework is really nice as well.. (Note: I didn\'t really think it may have been a Taco Bell.. was just kidding.. haha)
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GD
#4
Quite possible.
It looks like an interesting site. I like these kinds of historic spots.
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Ryan McGee
#3
Nikola wrote:
Very interesting... It looks like the windows and doors were sealed in at some point. The fireplace is huge and there is, what looks like, a large nice mantel above the fireplace which makes me think that people lived in this building at one time. The stonework is really nice as well.. (Note: I didn't really think it may have been a Taco Bell.. was just kidding.. haha)
More likely a Pizza Hut. :)
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GD
#2
artintel wrote:
Crematorium?
I don\'t think cremation would have been practiced by Protestants (or Catholics) in America in the 18th & 19th century.
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NM
#1
StGeorge wrote:
Nikola wrote:
Very interesting... It looks like the windows and doors were sealed in at some point. The fireplace is huge and there is, what looks like, a large nice mantel above the fireplace which makes me think that people lived in this building at one time. The stonework is really nice as well.. (Note: I didn't really think it may have been a Taco Bell.. was just kidding.. haha)
More likely a Pizza Hut. :)
A logical deduction considering the size of the large brick oven in the back... :grin:
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