L.A. County To Bury 1,400 Unclaimed Cremated Remains

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.

Repairing A Legacy

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. 

Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery: An Historic Final Resting Place

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. 

Turkish Mausoleum Has World’s Longest Poem in Antiquity

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.

Who Owns the Mausoleum?

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.

Time-Capsule Art Installation Inspired by Chinese Mausoleum’s Warriors

The mausoleum of Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang is one of the most famous in the world, well known for its impressive eight thousand terra cotta soldiers guarding the tomb’s entrance. Now, some 2,000 years later, the mausoleum’s warriors have inspired a New York artist to create a politically themed art installation.

Prune Nourry, a Parisian artist based in NYC, has flipped the gender of the original terra cotta warriors and created 116 “Terra Cotta Daughters,” according to a report by CNN. The statues, which are on display at the China Institute from September 10 to October 4, were created to raise awareness of gender imbalances in China and the plight of Chinese girls. China currently has a one-child policy and strong preferences are given to boys over girls.

Nourry modeled the first eight Terra Cotta Daughters after girls she met at an orphanage in China, and local Chinese craftsmen created 108 permutations based on her original eight designs using a combination of features. Each statue weighs 260 pounds and stands five feet tall, featuring schoolgirl clothing and a modern hairstyle, but no two statues share the same features.

North Korea Leader Visits Family Mausoleum

Accompanied by several top generals in his military, Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, visited the mausoleum where his father’s and grandfather’s embalmed and mummified remains are enshrined. His visit was meant to mark the 20th anniversary of Kim Il-sung’s death, as reported by an English-language news report provided by the official Korean Central News Agency or KCNA. Kim Il-sung was the country’s first leader and became its first premier in 1950.

Arriving at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun precisely at midnight, Kim Jong-un paid respectful tribute to his father and grandfather. Before paying his respects, the North Korean leader toured his grandfather’s memorial halls. After he paid tribute to his late grandfather, Kim Jong-un toured his father’s memorial hall and paid tribute to him as well. Kim Jong-il died after developing a heart problem in 2011.
North Korea’s leader has visited the mausoleums for his father and grandfather for three years in a row, beginning when he assumed power after his father died.

Mausoleums Go High Tech

Since the ancient Persian satrap Mausolus built his memorial, we’ve had a name for a process that humans have engaged in for thousands of years: mausoleum burial, or above-ground burial. Mausoleums have changed throughout history to meet the times. Monuments that house the remains of the dead reached unequaled grandeur in antiquity (think the Pyramids), but today they’re reaching a level of technological sophistication unparalleled in the course of human history.

One of the many innovations incorporated into mausoleums today is lighting that revolutionizes the atmosphere of the mausoleum — making current mausoleums a far cry from their dark, forbidding ancient counterparts. The Ruriden mausoleum in Tokyo is one example: The building uses 2,046 lighted statues made of a glass called “ruriki” to symbolize the souls of the departed. In the case of Ruriden, each light changes its color depending on the temperature and season.

10 Must-Visit Historic Mausoleums

Mausoleums have been around since ancient times and are constantly evolving. Modern mausoleums showcase a variety of styles, with some displaying modern-art inspired, minimalist designs, while historic mausoleums feature classic styles that have stood the test of time.

Viewing famous mausoleums helps you decide on a final resting place for yourself or your loved ones. Whether building a private mausoleum or purchasing space in a community mausoleum, classic mausoleums give you a better idea of the type of place you want to select.

If you’re an avid traveler, or simply a Google Maps traveler, put these historic mausoleums on your list of places to check out.

Ten American Mausoleums to Put on Your Trip Planner

We don’t have anything like the Taj Mahal or the pyramids in the U.S., but we do have our own historic mausoleums. From the gothic to the avant garde, American mausoleums showcase a wide variety of styles with their own unique charms.

Put these American mausoleums on your list of places to visit when you find yourself in the area.

1. New Orleans Cemeteries, LA

   The above ground cemeteries of New Orleans are worthwhile tourist spots. Peaceful in the daytime and spooky at night, the cemeteries offer tourists a walk through the history of New Orleans and its inhabitants, including prominent New Orleans families and clergy members. The Metairie Cemetery has the largest collection of marble tombs and funerary statues in the city.

2. Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield, IL

   Lincoln’s tomb is designated as a National Historic Landmark and is managed by the state of Illinois. As expected, the memorial is grand, featuring a 117-foot high obelisk infantry and cavalry statues, a bronze statue of Lincoln’s head, and an Art Deco marble burial room. Lincoln’s nose remains shiny due to visitors rubbing it for good luck.