Illinois is home to cemeteries and burial grounds dating back to the Native American era. Whether sprawling over thousands of acres or dotting remote woodlands, these treasure troves of local and state history reflect two centuries of social, economic, and technological change. This easy-to-use guidebook invites amateur genealogists, historians, and cemetery buffs to decipher the symbols and uncover the fascinating past awaiting them in Illinois 's resting places. Hal Hassen and Dawn Cobb have combined almost three hundred photographs with expert detail to showcase how cemeteries and burial grounds can teach us about archaeology, folklore, art, geology, and social behavior. Features include the ways different materials used as gravestones and markers reflect historical trends; how to understanding the changes in the use of iconographic images; the story behind architectural features like fencing, roads, and gates; what enthusiasts can do to preserve local cemeteries for future generations. Captivating and informed, Cemeteries of Illinois is the only guide you need to unlock the mysteries of our state 's final resting places.

Cemeteries are in the metropolitan Chicago area.

From the heartbreak of dozens of families burying their children after the notorious Our Lady of Angels School Fire to the serenity of a grieving mother, who six years after the death of her daughter finds her wedding-clad body in peaceful repose; from the lawlessness of the bootleg era, punctuated by such ignominious figures as Al Capone and Dean O'Banion, to the patriotic triumph of one of the flag bearers of Iwo Jima, Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemeteries have provided the final chapter in the colorful lives and tragic events that have marked the city of Chicago for the last century. It denotes the final resting place of the churches' bishops and cardinals as well as the city's beloved parents, grandparents, and children. Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemeteries offers a unique glimpse into the history of Chicago during a time that saw massive immigration, rising industrialization, two world wars, and numerous tragedies, by chronicling the lives and stories behind the individuals who are interred there. From the heartbreak of dozens of families burying their children after the notorious Our Lady of Angels School Fire to the serenity of a grieving mother, who six years after the death of her daughter finds her wedding-clad body in peaceful repose; from the lawlessness of the bootleg era, punctuated by such ignominious figures as Al Capone and Dean O'Banion, to the patriotic triumph of one of the flag bearers of Iwo Jima, Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemeteries have provided the final chapter in the colorful lives and tragic events that have marked the city of Chicago for the last century. It denotes the final resting place of the churches' bishops and cardinals as well as the city's beloved parents, grandparents, and children. Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemeteries offers a unique glimpse into the history of Chicago during a time that saw massive immigration, rising industrialization, two world wars, and numerous tragedies, by chronicling the lives and stories behind the individuals who are interred there.