Presidential Places Part IV

In May (I think it was in June lol) I visited Cleveland, Ohio via Greyhound to go on a date (The less said about that the better!) and to knock President James Garfield off my list of Presidents.

When I got to Cleveland, I took the bus known as the "Healthline" to the Cleveland Clinic for my date. The bus system there was confusing compared to the Erie one, but once you got the hang of it, it was rather easy.

After my date, I took the bus to Lake View Cemetery where President Garfield is interred. I ended up walking what seemed to be forever,through the cemetery looking for President Garfield's tomb. Well eventually I found it.

Now James A. Garfield was president about 4 months before he was shot and being shot is what he is most famous for. It goes to show you that if you die in office, you usually get some grand tomb, especially if you died in the 19th century!

The tomb has reliefs on each side covering different aspects of President Garfield's career. Below is one of his deathbed scene.

When you enter the monument, there is an anteroom that includes a gift shop. I bought a white "Lake View Cemetery" hat there, but I think it was too late since I got some sun burn from my long walk. Then you enter the rotunda with some fancy mosaics and a statue of Garfield.

To get to the burial chamber you walk down these stairs.

The Burial Chamber 

 

President Garfield's tomb is unusual in that the coffin's of him and his wife aren't in a sarcophagus, but are placed on marble pedestals. 

The urns contain the ashes of Garfield's daughter and her husband.

I couldn't resist the urge to take a selfie of myself with President Garfield's coffin. I did consider trying to slip the docent a $20 to open the gate and let me get my picture taken right next to the coffin, but he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would go for it.

This is the first tomb I've ever been in that had a rest room. Actually two but I didn't try to sneak into the Ladies room. I think President Garfield would be disappointed that his tomb didn't have a nicer bathroom.

This is the view from the observation deck. I felt some of the tiles moving while I was up there, so I decided not to spend too much time there. Nice view of the city of Cleveland.

I had read that John D. Rockefeller, who by some estimates is the richest man who ever lived, was buried close by. I asked the man at the Garfield Tomb where Rockefeller was and he gave me a map. It was only a short walk from the Garfield Memorial.

John D.Rockefeller was known for giving out dimes to people he met in his final years. Some people left pennies on his headstone. I, not wanting to me cheap, went a step further and left a quarter there! Am I the only one who finds it odd that the man who was president for less then a year gets an over the top tomb, but the man who was a billionaire has a relatively humble grave in comparison, even though he could of easily afforded one like Garfield's? 

Well, I don't know the next time I will post a Presidential Places post. There's not many in Northwest Florida. Maybe if I get to Plains, GA and go to Jimmy Carter's Sunday School class.