Snowflake
01-17-2007, 10:22 AM
Rank the Swank - Museums and Sights
http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gif Overall Swank Rank
Angelus Rosedale Cemetary
1831 W. Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
January 14, 2007
http://angelusrosedale.com/ (http://angelusrosedale.com/)
The Lowdown
A walking tour with author and historian Allan Ellenberger
__________________________________________________
The Gig
Grave Hunting and just exploring
The Scene
Cool and crisp we met up at Angelus Rosedale cemetary for a walking tour and lunch meet with some film friends. Having been to a memorial service the night before, this seemed fitting in a funky sort of way.
Rosedale is one of the oldest cemetaries in Los Angeles and while light in the way of celebrity graves, many LA centric historic people are interred.
Rosedale is famed (and rightly so) for being one of the only cemetaries that was open to anyone of any race, creed or religion. Unlike the ultra snooty (at the time) Hollywood Memorial Park which would not accept those of jewish faith or those of color, Rosedale was open to all. Hence the mix from Hattie McDaniell (of Gone with the Wind fame) and Dooley Wilson (of Casablanca fame) to Anna Mae Wong (first Chinese American star, and she was gorgeous, BTW) to Todd Browning and Marshall Neilan (early film directors).
Apparently the link to Hollywood is still very apparent, Rosedale is recognizable as a location for just about any TV show needing a picturesque cemetary, this more than fits the bill. BTW, Hattie McDaniell's house and the Six Feet Under house are a hop skip and jump away from here.
The cemetary IS old, I saw grave markers dating back to the 1830s. Maddening to the amateur archaologist are the markers that only say "JAW" or JAW Jr" or "MOTHER."
It's no secret I love funarary art and Rosedale has many interesting markers, crypts and pyramids! I've posted my pics here (http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/rudyfan/) and have not had the time to caption them all, but they're pretty self-explanatory.
Well worth an afternoon visit, Rosedale is hilly and in some sections run down (see my pic of the family crypt of the Wards), many monuments are simply stunning, and no matter where you walk there is something interesting to see. The layout of the graves is also very weird in some areas, not lined up in perfect little rows, there are empty spaces and them clumps of graves facing in every direction so how can you tell where the bodies are? There is also a Confederate section (CA was a Nothern State, but CA civil war veterans are laid to rest here). Sad to see were the many graves to youn people (assume gang killings) and always sad are the graves for the infants. As it was Sunday the Columbarium was closed, but it is housed in a beautiful building. Hopefully my next trip, I feel Rosedale is well worth a return visit.
If you are hungry when you leave, just hang a right out of the cemetary, turn right on Normandie and just past Pico on the right is a greek place called Uncle Cristos. not much in the way of swank, platic plates and such, but the food portions were very generous and delicious. Uncle Cristos has parking in the rear, and a valet if it is crowded (which this Sunday after church, it was). There is also a Greek market in the placeif you need pastries or supplies for greek food.
Finally, if you are serious about grave hunting in LA, at least for celebs. After all, aren't dead celebs the best kind? My friend Allan's book is a great resource Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemetaries: A Directory (http://www.amazon.com/Celebrities-Los-Angeles-Cemeteries-Directory/dp/0786409835/sr=8-3/qid=1169054327/ref=sr_1_3/002-9946697-7252845?ie=UTF8&s=books)
http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gifhttp://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/rts/tikiO.gif Overall Swank Rank
Angelus Rosedale Cemetary
1831 W. Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
January 14, 2007
http://angelusrosedale.com/ (http://angelusrosedale.com/)
The Lowdown
A walking tour with author and historian Allan Ellenberger
__________________________________________________
The Gig
Grave Hunting and just exploring
The Scene
Cool and crisp we met up at Angelus Rosedale cemetary for a walking tour and lunch meet with some film friends. Having been to a memorial service the night before, this seemed fitting in a funky sort of way.
Rosedale is one of the oldest cemetaries in Los Angeles and while light in the way of celebrity graves, many LA centric historic people are interred.
Rosedale is famed (and rightly so) for being one of the only cemetaries that was open to anyone of any race, creed or religion. Unlike the ultra snooty (at the time) Hollywood Memorial Park which would not accept those of jewish faith or those of color, Rosedale was open to all. Hence the mix from Hattie McDaniell (of Gone with the Wind fame) and Dooley Wilson (of Casablanca fame) to Anna Mae Wong (first Chinese American star, and she was gorgeous, BTW) to Todd Browning and Marshall Neilan (early film directors).
Apparently the link to Hollywood is still very apparent, Rosedale is recognizable as a location for just about any TV show needing a picturesque cemetary, this more than fits the bill. BTW, Hattie McDaniell's house and the Six Feet Under house are a hop skip and jump away from here.
The cemetary IS old, I saw grave markers dating back to the 1830s. Maddening to the amateur archaologist are the markers that only say "JAW" or JAW Jr" or "MOTHER."
It's no secret I love funarary art and Rosedale has many interesting markers, crypts and pyramids! I've posted my pics here (http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p7/rudyfan/) and have not had the time to caption them all, but they're pretty self-explanatory.
Well worth an afternoon visit, Rosedale is hilly and in some sections run down (see my pic of the family crypt of the Wards), many monuments are simply stunning, and no matter where you walk there is something interesting to see. The layout of the graves is also very weird in some areas, not lined up in perfect little rows, there are empty spaces and them clumps of graves facing in every direction so how can you tell where the bodies are? There is also a Confederate section (CA was a Nothern State, but CA civil war veterans are laid to rest here). Sad to see were the many graves to youn people (assume gang killings) and always sad are the graves for the infants. As it was Sunday the Columbarium was closed, but it is housed in a beautiful building. Hopefully my next trip, I feel Rosedale is well worth a return visit.
If you are hungry when you leave, just hang a right out of the cemetary, turn right on Normandie and just past Pico on the right is a greek place called Uncle Cristos. not much in the way of swank, platic plates and such, but the food portions were very generous and delicious. Uncle Cristos has parking in the rear, and a valet if it is crowded (which this Sunday after church, it was). There is also a Greek market in the placeif you need pastries or supplies for greek food.
Finally, if you are serious about grave hunting in LA, at least for celebs. After all, aren't dead celebs the best kind? My friend Allan's book is a great resource Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemetaries: A Directory (http://www.amazon.com/Celebrities-Los-Angeles-Cemeteries-Directory/dp/0786409835/sr=8-3/qid=1169054327/ref=sr_1_3/002-9946697-7252845?ie=UTF8&s=books)