1 of 20
Bellfontaine's 200-year-old elm. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
2 of 20
Bellefontaine's 200-year-old elm. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
3 of 20
Bellefontaine’s Dwarf Dawn Redwood. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
4 of 20
Bellefontaine’s Dwarf Dawn Redwood. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
5 of 20
Bellefontaine's American Chestnut. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
6 of 20
Bellefontaine's American Chestnut. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
7 of 20
Bellefontaine's American Chestnut. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
8 of 20
Hudson Bridge Monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
9 of 20
Hudson Bridge monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
10 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
11 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
12 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
13 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
14 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
15 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
16 of 20
Samuel Gaty monument. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
17 of 20
William Conrad Severson obelisk. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
18 of 20
William Conrad Severson obelisk. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
19 of 20
William Conrad Severson obelisk. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
20 of 20
William Conrad Severson obelisk. Photograph by Chris Naffziger
It’s that time of the year again, when Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum offers its popular Beer Baron’s Tour. This year, the event happens on October 10, and will include a tour of 10 beer barons’ graves and mausolea, as well as tastings from six local craft brewers and food from Sugarfire Smokehouse. As usual, the three-mile, 35 to 40-minute tours will be led by the cemetery’s “master guides” and visit famous mainstays such as the Wainwright, Busch, and Lemp mausolea, as well as lesser-known brewers spread through the grounds.
During a visit to Bellefontaine last Thursday, discussion turned from the Beer Baron’s Tour to the sheer size of the cemetery, and how even after dozens of visits, this author still finds something new every time he visits. Kyle Cheesborough, Horticulture Supervisor, and Dan Fuller, Event and Volunteer Coordinator, each gave three of their favorite “hidden treasures” of the cemetery: trees and graves that possess interesting stories, but might be missed by the casual visitor.
Majestic Trees
Perhaps receiving the award for the greatest survivor, the American Elm Tree (Ulmus Americana, Block #308 on Walnut), is estimated to be around 200 years old, and stands in majestic repose in front of the McDonnell and Maritz burial plots. In fact, the McDonnell family specifically chose their plot due to its proximity to the beautiful tree, which is the state champion for largest elm. On a more somber note, Bellefontaine’s elm also holds the distinction of surviving Dutch Elm Disease, which first arrived in America in the 1930s and would eventually annihilate the vast majority of elms in the country. Spread by roots, Dutch Elm Disease would work its way down rows of trees, capitalizing on the elm’s popularity for lining streets in American cities.
While not nearly as massive as the cemetery’s elm, Bellefontaine’s Dwarf Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Little Lace,’ Block #29 intersection of Lake and Vale), reveals an incredibly fascinating pedigree. Beginning in the 1960s, the Chinese government opened its borders to scientists, including a contingent from the University of Georgia in Athens. While capable of reaching a height of one hundred feet, some of the seeds brought back to America mutated, creating a tree that grows to around eight to nine feet, almost like a Bonsai version of a redwood. Only a couple of years old, the redwood remains small, but will continue to grow to its full dwarf size in the coming years.
Finally, the cemetery is carefully nurturing an American Chestnut (Castanea dentate, Block #258 on Chestnut), which almost went extinct due to blight. However, the cemetery’s specimen came from the wild in Illinois, and will grow to approximately nine to twelve feet. The chestnut tree at Bellefontaine remains unique to the metropolitan area, and maybe Missouri.
Don't Miss the Monuments
Moving from wood to stone, Hudson Bridge’s monument, a striking sarcophagus that sits high on a hill overlooking Broadway, reveals the past orientation of the cemetery. Originally, Broadway was known as Bellefontaine Road in the city (it’s still called that in North County), and since the front entrance to the cemetery was located on that road, it gave its named to Bellefontaine Cemetery. Bridge’s monument now seems like an almost obscure location, unless one considers that it once held one of the most prominent locations in the cemetery looking down on the former front entrance drive. Bridge pioneered local manufacturing, especially stoves, in St. Louis, moving the city’s economy away from simply providing raw materials for eastern factories to producing finished products in the Gateway City.
Samuel Gaty, orphaned descendant of the Gettys of Gettysburg, personally designed one of the more unique and fascinating monuments in the cemetery. Like many people of the Victorian Age, Gaty took direct interest in his burial during his own lifetime. The circular lot’s entrance is flanked by two urns, one with a shroud and one without, representing death and life, respectively. In the center, a tall obelisk with four trees of life representing the four seasons on its base presides over a circle of smaller obelisks depicting stages of his life. Visitors can see Gaty studying as a young boy, as a mature man working diligently, and then finally the businessman in old age.
Finally, the 1991 William Conrad Severson Obelisk represents one of the more recent and unique monuments in the cemetery. While Severson, a local sculptor, originally wanted the obelisk to be metal, he finally settled on granite. The design is distinctly modern, but its true use is only revealed three times of the year: the summer solstice and the equinoxes. On those days, at the exact time of these celestial events, a cross is cast onto the grave of Severson, which lies inside his family’s plot. Nearby, the sculptor also designed his own original type font for his grave.
The Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 4947 W Florissant; regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Beer Barons Tour happens Saturday, October 10 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission, and $50 VIP admission, which includes a swag bag. To buy tickets, click here; for more information about Bellefontaine, call 314-381-0750 or go to bellefontainecemetery.org.
Chris Naffziger writes about architecture at St. Louis Patina. Contact him via e-mail at naffziger@gmail.com.
