Cast an Eye Upon What the Industrial Age Has Wrought

Church Hill Cemetery, Martins Creek, PA

One of my favorite aspects of late 19th-century cemeteries is the ironwork:  I love the iron crosses and benches, the “ropes” and “tassels” that mark off family plots, and the gas pipe railings with decorative brackets that have survived the WWII scrap metal drives.  I love the intricate detail of malleable wrought iron, and the industrial repetition possible with cast iron, since the molten metal is poured into molds rather than hammered or rolled.  I love miles and miles of detailed cast-iron fencing surrounding of acres of marble and granite tombstones.  Once, I even ripped my jeans climbing over such a fence that had pointed arrows along its top.  The gate had rusted shut and I am an Amazonian giant, but not quite Amazonian giant enough.  Oh well.  I love to see iron work that has been treated properly and is still in great shape, but I also like the rusted look, because it adds color and texture to the cemetery landscape.   Unfortunately, the rust will eventually destroy the iron that once was, and I will have to content myself with photographs and memories.

 

Here are some of my favorite iron finds. 

A neglected but sweet little iron "crib," Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 



St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

I assume this is an angel or a saint, although it looks like he is boogeying or something, St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 

St. Michael's Cemetery, Forest City, PA

 



Beautiful gate in a family plot, Glen Dyberry Cemetery, Honesdale, PA

 

Tassel, Salem Cemetery, Hamlin, PA

 

Stone Church Cemetery, Stone Church, PA

 

Champion Iron Fence Co. of Kenton, OH was started in 1876, Bolkcom Cemetery, Rileyville, PA

 

Many times, cast or wrought iron was painted silver, to make it look galvanized.  Christ Church Cemetery, Shrewsbury, NJ

 

Love, love, love this pattern, Church Hill Cemetery, Martins Creek, PA

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

This was possibly handmade by a blacksmith.  The piece of wood on the front was once painted (is that Mamay on the bottom?)  Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 

Similar to the one above, Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 

Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 



This is in the Italian Cemetery but this "tu spociva" is Polish, loosely, for "here rests the person of."  Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 

This is an example of the decorative brackets used to connect the gas pipe railings that mark the boundaries of family plots. The face in the center of the sunburst looks Greco-Roman to me, but he/she might be wearing a hat with a fleur-de-lis on it.  ??  Durham Cemetery, Durham, PA

 

Easton Cemetery, Easton, PA

 

I absolutely LOVE this pattern, Easton Cemetery, Easton, PA

 

Gate for family plot, Easton Cemetery, Easton, PA

 

Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown, WV

 

Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown, WV

 

Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown, WV

 

Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown, WV

 

Rather plain bracket for the gas pipe railings, Evergreen Cemetery, Susquehanna Depot, PA

 

Fairview Cemetery, Middletown, NJ

 

Gate to family plot, Fairview Cemetery, Middletown, NJ

 

Trinity UCC Cemetery, Stone Church, PA

 



Freeland Cemetery, Freeland, PA

 

Glen Dyberry Cemetery, Honesdale, PA

 

Glen Dyberry Cemetery, Honesdale, PA

 

Heidelberg Union Cemetery, Slatington, PA

 

Heidelberg Union Cemetery, Slatington, PA

 

Italian Cemetery, Freeland, PA

 

Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 

Kaiserville Cemetery, Kaiserville, PA

 



This is a holder for a kerosene lamp, placed over a gravesite, to light the night, Italian Cemetery, Jessup, PA

 

Eternal flame, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

 

I love the scrolled posts on either side of the gate, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

 

Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadephia, PA

 

Eternal flames were popular symbols with these cast iron fences, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

 

Lemon Cemetery, Lemon, PA

 

A cherub on a decorative bracket, Montgomery Baptist Cemetery, Montgomeryville, PA

 



Many of the decorative brackets have what I think are copper name plates on them, naming the family or families in the plot,  Montgomery Baptist Cemetery, Montgomeryville, PA  

 

This might be an early 20th-century fence, as this has a more modern feel to me, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

These gas pipes could be made into rather interesting artistic gates, Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Part of entrance to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 



I LOVE THE TASSELS!!  Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, NJ

 

Cherub, Mount Zion Cemetery, Pottsgrove, PA

 

Mount Zion Cemetery, Snydersville, PA

 

New Britain Baptist Cemetery, New Britain, PA

 

Newtown Cemetery, Newtown, PA

 

Norris City Cemetery, Norristown, PA

 

Northwood Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

 

Old Brick Reformed Church Cemetery, Freehold, NJ

 

Old Brick Reformed Church Cemetery, Freehold, NJ

 

Below Cooke, it lists Lot 31-32 41-42, Old Brick Reformed Church Cemetery, Freehold, NJ

 

Overfield Cemetery, Meshoppen, PA

 

Prompton Cemetery, Prompton, PA

 

I could not get a photograph to capture the beauty of this piece, Queen of Peace Cemetery, Hawley, PA

 

Rosedale Cemetery, Montclair, NJ

 



Russian Orthodox Cemetery, Mayfield, PA

 

Russian Orthodox Cemetery, Mayfield, PA

 

S. Dennis United Methodist Cemetery, South Dennis, NJ

 

St. Ann's Cemetery, Freeland, PA

 

Most of this fence is broken, unfortunately, St. Luke Episcopal Cemetery, Newtown, PA

 

Ah, an all-seeing eye AND a tassel!, St. Luke Episcopal Cemetery, Newtown, PA

 

St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Ferndale, PA

 

St. Paul's Lutheran Blue Church Cemetery, Coopersburg, PA

 

St. Peter's Episcopal Cemetery, Perth Amboy, NJ

 

Thompson Cemetery, Thompson, PA

 

Wilkes Barre City Cemetery, Wilkes Barre, PA

 

West Long Branch United Methodist Cemetery, West Long Branch, NJ

 

Crown and Cross, Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 



Look closely above the large middle tassel and you will see an all-seeing eye, perhaps Dr. S.S. Marcy was a Mason or and Odd Fellow, Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Seriously, the designs they could make with the gas pipes, Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

I love this one, Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery, Cold Spring, NJ

 

St. Cecelia's Cemetery, Hill Top, PA

 

Look at this one, two serpents?, and 2 axes or pikes, and on the banners, your guess is as good as mine.  Sometimes I think I should bring baking powder or soft chalk to help me, but really, sometimes mystery is a good thing.  St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, North Wales, PA