Riverside Cemetery

Story

Riverside Cemetery Chapel is a historic chapel located in Riverside Cemetery at 3607 Pearl Road in Cleveland, Ohio. It was built in 1876, received an addition in 1897, and closed due to disrepair in 1953. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It underwent a major renovation beginning in 1995, and reopened in 1998.Constructing the chapelThe Riverside Cemetery Association was formed on November 15, 1875. About April 1876, the association's trustees hired the Cleveland architectural firm of Bruch & Monks to design a chapel for the cemetery.The chapel was to be erected at the center of the northern upper plateau of the cemetery, which was the first area to be developed for burials. A 1000ft long road, called Chapel Avenue, led east from the chapel to the cemetery's eastern boundary. A fountain (never built) was to anchor the eastern end of the road. The chapel itself was a Gothic Revival-style structure constructed of sandstone, with an interior measuring just 26by square. Simple wooden pews faced forward, providing seating for between 80 and 90 persons. The chapel had a single above-ground story, with a full basement which served as a receiving vault. Coffins placed on the dais could be lowered into the receiving vault below mechanically. Narrow bunk-like racks provided space for the storage of coffins and human remains until the spring thaw. Up to 30 coffins could be stored in the receiving vault. Four narrow metal tubes rose from the basement through the north and south roofs to provide ventilation. The building was unheated, and the only light was provided by small dormer windows set high in the roof.