Fairview Cemetery rededicates historic mausoleum

FAIRVIEW – It was 100 years to the date on Saturday of the original dedication of Fairview Cemetery’s mausoleum, and the cemetery held a rededication ceremony to commemorate the historic building over the Memorial Day weekend.

The mausoleum has been undergoing significant repairs and hadn’t been open to the public for several years until Saturday, when the public was invited to tour it and take a walking tour of the grounds.

Steve Garland, president of the Fairview Cemetery Association, said about 90 people are still buried in the mausoleum, which was first dedicated on May 23, 1915. He said there still are about 130 remaining spaces to re-sell.

“This is a historic building,” Garland said. “We’re really proud of the renovations, and we wanted people to be able take a tour of it, and get to know some of the stories of those who are buried there.”

Several prominent DeKalb residents are buried there, including Jacob and Sarah Haish, Ben Gordon and Annie Glidden, who’s buried in her family’s private mausoleum. The Ellwood family also has a private mausoleum in the cemetery, which holds 23 family members. Garland said there are about 10,000 people buried in the cemetery.

“A Civil War veteran is also buried in the mausoleum and the very first Boy Scout in America who died at age 12 is buried in the cemetery,” Garland said. “Not all the stories are happy, but a lot of people come to the cemetery to celebrate lives and not mourn them.”

Garland said the repairs to the mausoleum, which had been in a state of disrepair, have taken about six years and cost about $400,000. The roof was replaced, the stained glass windows were repaired, and damaged marble inside the building was replaced or repaired. Garland said that one of the original doors, which is wrapped in bronze, is still in place.

“There’s a fair amount of interest in the building, and people want to know what’s inside,” Garland said. “The repairs are done and it’s our centennial, so we thought it was a good time to open it to the public and rededicate it. It’s important to recognize this.”

Roger Keys, a DeKalb resident who works in historic renovation but didn’t work on the mausoleum, said he was extremely impressed.

“All I can say is wow,” Keys said. “It just came out beautifully. The vision the board members had for this is phenomenal, and they hired the right companies do to the job. They were able to bring this back.”

Judy Neumann, a lifelong DeKalb resident, helped organize Saturday’s event and researched the obituaries of those buried there. She said historical landmarks like the mausoleum need to be preserved and celebrated.

“It’s just gorgeous, and the foresight the people had 100 years ago to build something this is amazing,” she said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind building, and the pioneers of DeKalb are buried here.”

Sycamore resident Patricia Nihan was visiting the cemetery with her mother and was surprised when she found out the mausoleum was open.

“I’ve never been inside so I was excited to see it,” she said. “It’s absolutely gorgeous, and the windows are incredible.”

Kathy Higgerson, a DeKalb resident, said this was her first time in the building, and was very impressed.

“I had no concept of how beautiful it would be in here, and there’s just so much history,” she said.