Bohemian National Cemetery
Ceremony Hall Art Restoration
Friends has begun a multi-year fundraising effort for the restoration of the historic interior of the Ceremony Hall in the Crematorium/Columbarium building. Read the press release...
In July 2011, Friends received a matching grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors. Restoration work has now begun.
Follow phase one of the restoration by clicking here.
Soon after its founding in 1901, the Bohemian American Cremating Association asked Bohemian National Cemetery to build a crematorium/columbarium. After more than a decade of discussion, the cemetery agreed, and hired František Randák to design a building to house a cremation facility, meeting halls, and a columbarium.
In 1913, construction began on the first Bohemian crematorium in the world.
It was in use by the following year, but the furnishing and decorating wasn't
completed until 1919.
Although the first cremation took place in November 1914, major construction of the crematorium/columbarium building was completed in February 1916. It was the first Bohemian crematorium in the world.
"Let us remember that this building will survive us,
that it will stand when those who speak our beautiful
Bohemian language are probably fewer in number.
And if, by the cessation of immigration and by the
complete assimilation of our fourth or fifth generation
into an American nation of one single language,
the Bohemians should disappear in this country, this
building will remain as a permanent monument to their efforts
and to their Bohemian characteristics, the most marked feature of which
is courage - courage to seek truth and to fight for liberty."
Dr. František Iska, Speaker,
Bohemian Freethinkers of Chicago
1913 cornerstone ceremony
The showplace of the crematorium/columbarium is the Ceremony Hall , an elegant, circular room capped by a massive dome. In 1918, the cemetery awarded a contract for the artistic decoration of the hall to Moravian-born artist John Anton Mallin (born Johann Malinkowitsch).
Over the course of his career, Mallin decorated banks, theaters, courthouses, homes, more than 100 churches, the facades at Riverview Amusement Park, and several rooms in the home of the wealthy businessman John Cuneo (now the Cuneo Museum).
Mallin redecorated the hall twice, first in 1928, using gold
leaf instead of gold paint, and again in 1948, repairing some of his previous
decorations and adding new ones.
Since then, for almost 65 years, nothing has been done to preserve
or restore the decoration of this historic room until now.
Mallin decorated the walls of the hall with symbols of fraternal and patriotic associations whose support was integral to the success of the cemetery. The Ceremony Hall provides a unique retrospective commemoration of these historical organizations, some of which still exist today. But these paintings are in need of restoration.
It is not just the wall decorations that are showing their age.
Standing in the hall, your eyes are drawn up to the magnificent domed ceiling
with its intricate design ...
but looking closely, you can see here, too, the need for repairs.
Help us save these unique art treasures!
Join us by becoming a member. Make a donation to the Ceremony Hall Restoration Fund, or email us about volunteer opportunities at info@friendsofbnc.org .