Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Lakeside Cemetery Chapel, circa 1932

Description

"The Lakeside Cemetery Chapel on North Avenue was built in the late 1930's, and, according to its architect, it was designed to be a 'beautiful and dignified' setting for funeral services. It was located on the 'spacious lawn, east of the new driveway, set back 100 feet from the highway.' Of English Gothic style with a slate roof, the chapel's exterior walls are granite faced in warm shades of color 'and laid in a coursed random pattern, together with dressed stone trim and stone tracery windows.' The building was designed to accommodate 100 people in pews with a wide center aisle. When built, the front of the chapel contained an altar which had a carved reredos (an overhanging shelf) with a gold banded blue velour curtain. A 'triple Gothic stone tracery window' filled with leaded glass was placed above the altar. An area for the organ was to the right of the chancel, separated by an open tracery screen, and to its right was a separate area for the family, away from the main chapel. Intricate details also graced the interior walls which were of gray buff brick, trimmed with dressed stone, and oak dado, paneling and floors. The floors in the vestibule were of heather brown quarry tile. Specially designed wrought iron lighting fixtures and hardware were located throughout the building, and the plumbing, heating and electrical systems were all 'modern.' Architectural reports of the time indicated that the 'chapel will meet a long-felt need and will be of increasing use and pride to Wakefield people for many years to come.' The rear of the building housed the cemetery superintendent's office." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1998

Photo courtesy of Bourdon Studios.

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Date

ca. 1932

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

[Wakefield, Mass.] : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Chapels

Lakeside Cemetery Chapel (Wakefield, Mass.)

Lakeside Cemetery (Wakefield, Mass.)

Cemeteries

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture : b&w

Extent

16 x 27 cm.