Elbridge Historian Jack Horner led a group of about 30 ‘tourists’ around Maple Grove Cemetery earlier this month to discover past ‘Captains of Industry and Inventors.’
The 6th annual Cemetery Tour began in the chapel, where Horner explained the significance of both the chapel building and cemetery layout.
The structure, built in 1924, was made possible through the estate of Iram Converse, whose Seattle property was sold following his death to fund the building.
The concentric circles and non-linear plot design and deliberately named paths had a purpose, Horner said of the Victorian-era grounds.
Visiting deceased family and friends was a full day’s event, said Horner, and the design of the cemetery reflected that. Open park space and names like Daisy Path and Prospect Avenue catered to families who would set up picnics and spend hours at the cemetery, visiting with the living and the dead.
Horner led the group between graves, stopping at nine destinations to remember past Elbridge and Jordan residents – and some who only ended up their after death – for their contributions to their industry and the community.
Among the dead Horner showcased George E. Best, who, among other things, improved the bed bottom, and Lewis B. Doman, inventor of several organ and piano player machines
