The Fairlawn Cemetery
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Cemetery Regulations |
View the Fairlawn Cemetery Section Map |
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The story of Fairlawn Cemetery rates recognition as an important chapter in the
history of Decatur.
With the emphasis on preserving wooded areas and other beauties of nature in
their original form and transforming ravished sites into some semblance of
their former state, it is pleasant to note that development of Fairlawn is a
fine example of the latter.
Development of Fairlawn was started in 1913. The 65-acre tract that is now the
cemetery was an abandoned brickyard; full of potholes, trenches, and ridges. It
is now a well landscaped and wooded area, with paved drives, trees, and grassy
slopes.
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Early in the development, trees were brought in by the flatcar load for
planting. Fairlawn Memorial Mausoleum was added to the cemetery near the north
side in 1927.
The mausoleum was the first building in Decatur constructed by continuous pour
operation for the concrete walls.
A crematory was installed on the lower level of the mausoleum in 1957.
There are also private mausoleums in Fairlawn, most of them located along the
top of a wooded slope near the front entrance of the cemetery.
Centerpiece of a west side section called "Garden of the Apostles" is a circular
colonnade of Italian marble. On the circular marble strip that links the
pillars is the inscription, "Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There is
Liberty". Inside the colonnade is a wishing well in white Carrara marble around
which are sculptured figures of the 12 apostles. The colonnade serves as a
memorial for all those who are buried in the section and all individual grave
markers at turf level.
A "Garden of the Cross" section was developed in the southwest part of the
cemetery, where pines stand guard on knolls of rolling terrain. Japanese yews
outline the cross, and within the cross, blue gray granite monuments of
regulated size are placed on the lots. The first row of monuments on both the
east and west sides of the cross are of Wisconsin ruby red granite.
Perhaps the most special section at Fairlawn Cemetery is "Lullabyland", a
heart-shaped area in the southeast part of the cemetery set aside for infants.
The section slopes upward and is surmounted by a backdrop of tall spruce trees.
Under these trees is a mounted granite pedestal, framed in white ornamental
iron grillwork; on the granite is etched a poem in which a child talks to a
little lamb:
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, wooly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice
Making all the vale's rejoice.
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little lamb, I'll tell thee.
Little lamb, I'll tell thee.
He is called by thy name.
For he calls himself a lamb -
He is meek and he is mild.
He became a little child.
I am a child, and thou a lamb.
We are called by his name
Little lamb,
God bless thee;
Little lamb, God bless thee. |
| William Blake
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