HISTORIC GRAVESTONES FROM CENTRAL INDIANA: 19TH CENTURY MORTUARY EXPRESSION AND STONE USE AT HANNA STREET CEMETERY, GREENCASTLE (IN)

In this presentation we report preliminary observations of nearly 250 mortuary monuments at Hanna Street Cemetery (Greencastle, Indiana), which was primarily in use during the 19th century. For each monument we recorded stone type, monument form, monument size, geographical coordinates, inscription, and the degree of inscription weathering. This sample of observations complements a growing suite of studies of cemetery monuments in the Midwest, and across the US, that have been designed to evaluate the inter-relationships between a variety of technological, socio-economic, ideational, and environmental factors that influence the creation of cemetery landscapes (e.g., Bauer et al. 2002; Hannibal et al. 2002; McGuire 1988; Meierding 1993). Similar to other Midwestern cemeteries, at the Hanna Street Cemetery early 19th century monuments were created from local bedrock sources, including limestone and other sedimentary rocks, before imported marbles and granites became more prevalent toward the end of the century. However, unlike some well-documented cemeteries in the region, in this study local stone types continue to be used for monument production long after the introduction of imported stones.