L.A. County To Bury 1,400 Unclaimed Cremated Remains
- At November 18, 2014
- By communitymaus
- In Article
0
When the indigent elderly, homeless, and others in Los Angeles die, they’re taken to the L.A. County cemetery to be cremated. Paper records have been fastidiously kept for decades cataloging the deceased, yet many of them go unclaimed. Even though the records were digitized in 2011 as a means to more accurately match the deceased with their loved ones, only a handful have rejoined their families. That leaves the remains of 1,400 individuals without proper memorials. And according to the L.A. Times, these remains will be soon buried in a mass grave at the County cemetery in a service attended only by county employees and local media.
When L.A. County handles someone who has passed, they try their best to locate any relatives. The relatives are then given the option to take ownership of the body and plan their own memorial fitting of the deceased. If the family cannot afford the associated mortuary fees, however, the county covers the cost of cremation.
The task of matching the deceased with their family isn’t always an easy one. Some families, when contacted, don’t want to pick up their relatives and opt to let the county cover the cremation expense. Some families, according to the L.A. Times piece, are only interested in picking up the death certificate which allows them to take ownership of the deceased’s property. For the majority of the deceased, however, family members never show up to claim the body or the remains. Of the more than 1,800 who were cremated by L.A. County in 2011, only 440 have been claimed, leaving 1,400 individual’s remains to be buried.
Read More»Repairing A Legacy
- At November 05, 2014
- By communitymaus
- In Article
0
The famed Castle Douglas Mausoleum has fallen into disrepair over the centuries since it was constructed as the final resting place of William Douglas, founder of Castle Douglas in Scotland. Located on the Threave Estate in Kircudbrightshire, the site is recognized by the National Trust of Scotland as one of the top ten visited locations in the country. The history of the mausoleum, considered to be a national treasure, was the impetus for the local council seeking estimates for its repair.
Speaking before the council was architect Douglas Bodell who had recently performed a site visit to the ailing building. He explained how vegetation growing up the walls and over the roof, and a rising damp within the structure were the most important considerations in his estimate of repair. There is also a fence outside of the structure that is expected to be repaired. And the estimate Mr. Bodell presented for repair of the Castle Douglas Mausoleum? Approximately £100,000 (or $160,000 USD) would restore the structure to its former glory. That figure is only an educated guess, Mr. Bodell cautioned.
Read More»Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery: An Historic Final Resting Place
- At October 22, 2014
- By communitymaus
- In Article
0
The hit AMC Television series “The Walking Dead” famously takes place in and around an Atlanta that has been ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. Whether the series’ creators selected this city out of a personal tie or connection, or it just seemed a program based in Georgia was the next logical location, they couldn’t have selected a better area that would present a lot of actual drama should a real zombie apocalypse ever occur.
Despite the historic Westview Cemetery celebrating a storied 130-year anniversary this year, the private, perpetual care cemetery provides new final resting places for approximately 200 individuals each year. Traditional burial plots were supplemented by the construction of the cemetery’s immense abbey and mausoleum, which celebrated its 70th birthday last year.
Located off of MLK Boulevard and Interstate 20, Westview Cemetery has breathtaking views of downtown Atlanta and is a stately resting place for some of Atlanta’s most prominent sons and daughters including, among others, William Hartsfield, the city father and former mayor for whom Atlanta’s international airport was named.
Read More»Turkish Mausoleum Has World’s Longest Poem in Antiquity
- At October 21, 2014
- By communitymaus
- In Article
0
Satrap Hekatomnos must have been quite a king. An archaeological excavation revealed the longest poem in antiquity at the mausoleum of the Hekatomnos, an ancient ruler. The 121-verse poem is inscribed on the mausoleum’s stela, which is dated at 2,400 years old, and details the life and times of Hekatomnos. Researchers say the poem may have been even longer, as some words seem to have been removed from the stela.
Interestingly enough, Hekatomnos has a deep connection with the word “mausoleum.” Hekatomnos sired five children who became his heirs upon his death: Idrieus, Pixodarus, Artemisia, Ada, and Mausolus. Hektomnos’ son Mausolus went on to build the famous Mausoleum of Mausolus, coining the term which we all use today to refer to a building that houses the remains of the dead. As the father of the man whose name has survived the ages, Hekatomnos has left a legacy that continues millennia after his death. It’s no wonder that 121 verses were inscribed on his tomb.
Read More»Who Owns the Mausoleum?
- At October 16, 2014
- By communitymaus
- In Article
0
Private mausolea are usually owned by the family of the deceased. Community mausolea, on the other hand, are more likely to be subjected to questions of ownership.
This was certainly the case this week in LaHarpe, Illinois, a small town of approximately 1,100 residents. The city’s attorney and city council are investigating the ownership of a mausoleum in the city’s cemetery. The investigation began after it was learned that county documents pointed to the municipality as having sole ownership and, therefore, sole responsibility for the monument that is believed to contain the remains of eight to ten individuals.
Read More»