Spring Grove Cemetery in Infrared - Images and History

Nov 19

Nov 19 Spring Grove Cemetery in Infrared - Images and History

Before the leaves turned colors and started to drop this Fall, I made a pilgrimage to Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio to photograph it in 720nm Infrared. Spring Grove has some very beautiful architecture surrounded by many old trees and ponds, which make for some great IR subjects.

It’s called Spring Grove because the cemetery grounds are watered by several natural springs. Spring water is stored in a reservoir tower located near the north gate. The tower is not only picturesque but functional, providing a consistent supply of water.

Famed landscape architect Adolph Strauch had a huge part in making Spring Grove a peaceful haven. Strauch implemented a principle called the “lawn plan,” encouraging families to have one central large memorial, surrounded by footstones. Although it was considered a radical concept of cemetery design at that time, it later became accepted almost universally as the model plan.

Many of Cincinnati’s elite rest at Spring Grove – with many of the mausoleums and tombstones featuring famous names that we still know today.

Below is Fleischman Temple, modeled after the Parthenon in Greece. This Doric temple is best-viewed from across the lake, where you can see it against the trees. It was built for the Fleischmann family – of Fleischmann yeast. The temple features a stained-glass portrayal of the Three Fates.

I’ve shot in Spring Grove before but being there with my Infrared gear really changed things up. I was also very lucky to be there on a calm, still morning so I was able to take advantage of the still water and the near perfect reflections it offered.

Muhlhauser Obelisk and McAlpin Mounument.

Huenfeld Mausoleum viewed from across the pond.

James Gamble Obelisk reflected in the pond under a beautiful old Sycamore tree.

Tucked away under some massive trees that form a canopy over a large part of the Dexter Family Mausoleum, is a great Gothic Revival-style tomb. The sandstone mausoleum was designed for the Dexter brothers by famed Queen City architect James Keyes Wilson and inspired by the Sainte-Chappelle Cathedral in Paris. The tomb took four years to build between 1865 and 1869 at the exorbitant sum of $100,000, a staggering amount of money at the time. The first Dexter to be buried in the family tomb was Edmund Dexter who died at the age of 61 in 1862. Dexter was an English immigrant who made his fortune selling liquor in Cincinnati. He was buried in the tomb in 1870. Now nearly 20 family members are buried within the walls of the mausoleum. Despite its grandeur, the mausoleum was never finished due to financial reasons. It was originally meant to feature an elevator and stained glass, which were never installed.

Dexter Mausoleum viewed from the main pond.

Pictured below is the Robinson Mausoleum. The Robinson family-owned Robinson’s Circus and made a lasting impact on the city. It was said that you could see their famed elephant Tillie plowing the field near their Terrace Park home. The Robinson’s have a number of circus family and staff buried in Spring Grove. This mausoleum features statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Its very easy to lose track of time as you stroll around the grounds. It’s massive, and there’s a lot to see.

This is one of the few occasions where I came away with so many images that I like that I am hard-pressed to pick my favorite. And, believe it or not, I think in the 3+ hours I was there I probably only saw about 20% of the grounds.