The first time I visited this cemetery was several years ago, and for a very specific purpose: To…read moreattend a concert in the columbarium near Halloween. That was when I first learned what a columbarium is (a place for cremains to be placed). Most often these are outdoor resting places, but this indoor one has a large chapel-like area inside. There are benches near the wall niches for one to visit their loved ones. Bohemian National Cemetery is a major graveyard in the city. Its origins lie in discrimination. After the Great Fire, a woman who was a member of Chicago's Bohemian community was refused burial at one of the Catholic cemeteries. Bohemian in the 19th century did not have the same meaning it has in 2022; the area once considered Bohemia is now Czechia. Thousands of members of this immigrant community worked to establish the cemetery, which saw its first burial in 1877. Bohemian National Cemetery is not affiliated with a specific religion. Upon arrival at this cemetery, you'll see one of its most unique features: The funeral bell that still hangs within the stone cemetery gate. Every other funeral bell in a Chicago cemetery has been removed and/or replaced. I'm not sure, however, if it still tolls when a funeral procession passes through the cemetery. There are several sculptures throughout the cemetery by the artist Albin Polasek. Amongst them is The Pilgrim, just in front of one of the family tombs, and Mother, which is directly in front of the columbarium. I was surprised to find the Beyond the Vines is really a wild monument. Made to replicate the outfield wall at Wrigley Field, major Cubs fans can be interred in this outdoor columbarium. Ivy covers the wall, and there are stadium seats on the west side of the monument for people when visiting. Lastly, this cemetery is home to a memorial for the victims of the Eastland disaster. In 1915, the Eastland was docked and ready to set off for the annual picnic of a local electric company. The ship never left the dock; rather, it capsized where it was docked near Clark Street. 844 people lost their life--and amongst those, 22 full families perished. On the 100th anniversary of this tragedy a memorial was unveiled to those who died that day. Bohemian cemetery is certainly historical and has some very interesting monuments and sculptures, and is a must-visit for any taphophile. However, it's a bit unkempt in some areas, and rumor has it they don't allow tours through here any longer because someone on a prior tour stepped into a dip and hurt themselves. So if you do visit, be careful.

Always looking for a new place to explore, the Bohemian National Cemetery offers a lovely…read moreatmosphere. They have a nice website with a map and several memorials throughout the land. The cemetery is very drivable with places to pull over and share a moment or walk throughout. They have done a nice job keeping it clean with trash cans available throughout. We enjoyed stopping by to pay respects and walk throughout the area.

I attended a wake here for an 'ol neighbor pal.  This funeral home is thee funeral home for Park…read moreRidge and it's located in the heart of Uptown Park Ridge.  They took care of the cremation service also.  I met Mike Ryan who is the GM of the place and a fine and welcoming fellow.  They have a pretty spacious parking lot in the back so no concerns there.  The facility was neat, clean, and comfortable everywhere including their lounge downstairs.  Thumbs up from what I could tell if anyone is needing their services.

No one ever wants to visit a funeral home, but the staff at Ryan-Parke made the process as painless…read moreas it could be. Robert & Rocco were phenomenal during such a difficult time for our family, providing great compassion and detail to every aspect of the service. With a whirlwind around us and essential family members missing from the wake and funeral, the staff was even kind enough to record moments for us to look back on so the loved ones missing could see what took place. We can't thank everyone at Ryan-Parke enough, and if you happen to be in search of a funeral home that goes above and beyond, this one is it.

Montrose Cemetery on the north side has a particularly interesting history. I've seen it many…read moretimes, as I live fewer than two miles away; however, I've never know much about it. I took a self-tour of it recently to change that. Montrose is one of the trio of cemeteries on Pulaski between Foster and Peterson, with the other two being Saint Luke and Bohemian National cemeteries. Montrose is the youngest of the three, established in 1902. The cemetery was owned by Andrew Kirchner, who owned a funeral home, and is still an independent cemetery owned by his descendants. They did not have a One of the early burials was a victim of the Iroquois Theatre Fire, which was one of the deadliest fires in US history (if you're unfamiliar, I highly suggest reading about it). Of the over 600 victims, nearly all were claimed in the months following the tragedy--all but one, a woman who was never identified even though hundreds of people visited her over the course of six months. She was interred here in Montrose in a casket engraved The Unknown. Kirschner donated his services and the plot to this unfortunate victim. Today, there is a diamond-shaped Iroquois Memorial on the site, erected five years after the fire. Another unique monument here is a mausoleum placed by the Japanese Mutual Aid Society. That organization began purchasing several lots for use by people of Japanese descent in Chicago, so that they would have a place to be buried; the group also covered burial fees for those who were unable to afford burial. In the years surrounding World War II, there was growing anti-Japanese sentiment even as hundreds of thousands of Japanese Americans came to the city, and these somewhat prescient actions on behalf of the JMAS to help their community were indeed an important measure to take. The Society acquired more plots and there are two sections of the cemetery that are dedicated to people of Japanese heritage, as well as a sitting area for quiet reflection. In addition to the large number of Japanese Americans buried here, there are a lot of people of Eastern European descent here too. There is an incredibly large memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide. It's a relatively new addition, installed around 2000. There are elaborate memorials to some of the religious leaders of one or more Eastern European Christian denominations as well.

Office staff not friendly. You have to call for appointment and you can see people sitting in the…read moreoffice and they won't answer the door. We asked a groundskeeper for a map and they said we had to call the office just for a map but you can literally see people just chatting in the building. You would think given the situation staff would be overly nice to help a person grieving.

Beautiful little cemetery with lots of iconography. Some beautiful statues and carvings. I believe…read morethis is the first cemetery I've been in that had electric outlets under the benches around the mausoleum. Great way to charge your phone and visit with family. I read they built the mausoleum because they needed to add more space. Inside what i could see thru the windows was a very nice space for services. I love when Cemeteries allow people to do their own plantings on family plots. You can tell some take great care in their loved ones resting place.

Graceland Cemetery is remarkably quiet and peaceful, especially considering that it rests within…read morethe great, bustling city of Chicago. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and during our visit, workers were actively planting new greenery. It was wonderful to see so much care being given to the landscape. This is far more than a cemetery. It is also an arboretum filled with mature trees, winding paths, impressive monuments, and extraordinary architecture. Pick up a map and give yourself plenty of time to explore. There is a great deal of Chicago history resting here, and nearly every turn reveals another beautiful memorial or quiet place for reflection. As always, remember that this is an active cemetery and treat the grounds and their residents with respect. I arrived carrying my finest crystal ball, intending to conduct a discreet communion with the departed. Unfortunately, before I could summon even the faintest apparition, a large crow descended from an oak tree, seized the crystal ball, and vanished into the canopy. I waited beneath the tree for nearly an hour, demanding the immediate return of my enchanted property. The crow eventually came back--not with the crystal ball, but with a Chicago-style hot dog. It contained sport peppers and not a drop of ketchup, confirming that the bird was unquestionably a local. Although the offering was delicious, it was not a fair exchange. My crystal ball remains somewhere among the branches, presumably being used by a council of crows to predict where tourists will drop their lunches. Graceland Cemetery is serene, historic, beautifully maintained, and absolutely worth visiting. I will return to continue my paranormal investigation--this time carrying a bird-proof crystal ball and perhaps a small bag of french fries for negotiation. Five stars for the cemetery. One star for the thieving crow.

This cemetery is unique because it is also an arboretum. That makes it the perfect place to take a…read morewalk and pick up maps at the welcome center. The two maps available are of of the different species of trees, and the other of the historical figures buried in the cemetery. I spent about an hour walking and taking pictures. During my time, I saw four other people walking or running, so it is a utilize space, but not overly crowded on a weekend.

Beautiful, well-kept, peaceful, old, and interesting. Gorgeous grounds. Highly recommend.read more

This beautiful old cemetery is peaceful, quiet and filled with elegant grave markers.read more

Nice older cemetery. They sustained a lot if tree damage during the tornado in chicago. They have a…read moregorgeous marble statue that has been encased in glass or lucite container to keep it from damage. The flower carvings are beautiful. A few forgotten stones covered in vines and some surrounded by bushes. Beautiful symbolism and and epithet that said " A good time was had by all " Someone had decorated a plot for Halloween and Day of the Dead. The Hebrew Benevolent Cemetery was next door and very over grown. We weren't able to go inside.

Lovely grounds including large older trees and spring bulb flowers. I took a walk and visited…read moretoday to satisfy my curiosity about a memorial I've seen dozens of times as I rode down Irving Park on my way to the airport. I've often seen a large white statue enclosed in a glass case so today I took a walk to investigate. I found the statue with the name Raithel on one side and Sei getreu bis in den Tod or Be thou faithful undo death on the front of the monument. I'm still curious - more investigation to be done...

When I came to Chicago years ago, Mt. Carmel was the cemetery I most wanted to visit (if…read moreinterested, check out my review). Following that visit, I crossed the street and entered Queen of Heaven, a more modern (consecrated in 1947) resting place consisting of 470 acres. As I've noted in other reviews, I've always been fascinated by organized crime history, and Chicago's organized crime is an integral and prominent (if often unwanted) part of that city's history. I always try to conduct myself respectfully and discreetly in cemeteries, knowing these are holy places where people come to mourn. The overwhelming majority of the "permanent residents" of Queen of Heaven were honest, hard-working people who tried their best to make their way in the world. The cemetery boasts the largest Catholic mausoleum in the world, and it's indeed an impressive structure, a work of architectural splendor. Inside, I found the vaults of Tony Accardo, perhaps the most successful and powerful Mafia boss in history; Paul Ricca; Sam Battaglia; and Fiore Buccieri. I had a camera with me but I didn't take any pictures. Why? Because there were security cameras everywhere and I didn't want anyone to misinterpret my purpose, and think I was being "disrespectful." The Chicago mob was unique in being surprisingly egalitarian, a meritocracy (a large number of its reps in top positions were Jews, Irishmen, Greeks, Bohemians, a Welshman, etc.; their abilities counted more than their ethnicity), but they were also known for a countless number of savage "hits." I didn't actually think anyone was going to take a blowtorch to me for snapping a photo of Joe Batters' private vault. Still, I wasn't about to press my luck. Outside, it was more relaxed. I found the grave of "Mad Sam" DeStefano, a figure of particular fascination for me. Physically a cross between Fred Flintstone and John Belushi, reading about some of his "antics" had caused me to laugh out loud. He forced a court hearing for a $10 traffic ticket, had himself carried into court on a stretcher, shouting through a bullhorn, "Birmingham, Alabama, here I come...We are living in a Gestapo country...Hello to all the stool pigeons in the witness quarters..." It wasn't all laughs. FBI Agent Bill Roemer called him "the worst torture-murderer in Chicago's history." When Sam's wife Anita angered him, he kidnapped a black man walking on the street at gunpoint, and forced the man to rape his wife as punishment for his wife, who now lies buried beside him. Does she rest in peace, or does she dread the thought of the coming "Day of Judgment" when the dead rise from their graves and she has to see Mad Sam's ugly face once again? Hopefully, if there is a God, He'll spare her that. Mad Sam was shotgunned to death in 1973 while sweeping out his garage. The man believed to be wielding that shotgun is buried across the street, literally a stone's throw away. Tony Spilotro, the hitman portrayed by Joe Pesci in "Casino." The man who once squeezed a man's head in a vise until the man's eyes popped out of his head in order to extract information. On "Judgement Day," will Mad Sam see him, ignore Anita, and shout out, "You, you're the dirty ______ who shot me!" In another direction is the impressive monument to James Torello. If you read "The Exorcist," Blatty quoted a surreptitiously recorded conversation where Torello described torturing a 300-pound loan shark to death: "Jackson was hung up on the meat hook. He was so heavy he bent it. He was on that thing 3 days before he croaked...We tossed water on him to give the (cattle) prod a better charge, and he's screamin'..." I'm a non-Catholic, and Yelp is not the place to argue theological issues such as faith, grace, redemption, etc. But I couldn't help thinking about such issues as I walked around this beautiful, peaceful cemetery. Did the Catholic hierarchy really think Mad Sam "made his peace" with God in the seconds before that fatal shotgun blast? He's lying in sacred, consecrated ground. Supposedly, Spilotro asked to say a prayer (and was denied) before he was beaten to death, but does that transform a serial-killing monster into someone worthy of Heaven? As another, non-Catholic example-- "Tex" Watson, Manson's chief killer, has his own prison ministry and claims to be "saved." Is he sincere? What if he is? Someone who can stick a knife 30-something times into an 8-month pregnant woman permanently severs whatever tenuous links he may still have to humanity, as far as I'm concerned, and obviates any possibility of redemption or forgiveness. To me, that's a spiritual brokenness that can never be fixed, whether it's Tex, or Charlie, or Mad Sam, or Tony the Ant. I don't mean to sound overly harsh in discussing this cemetery...other cemeteries, religious and non-sectarian alike, have evil people buried in them...but these were the thoughts occupying me as I wandered about these peaceful acres. Maybe that's the reason I still identify as an agnostic.

I've been coming to Queen of Heaven cemetery since I was a child, my grandparents are in the…read moremosoliuem, my mom and sister are buried in the same section, today I went to visit them, so hard to find their grave, they have flat markers,. To make it easier to cut the grass, as you can see, you can't read the markers so much grass and dirt on the markers, it took me 30 min. To find my mom, and I never did find my sister. All the dirt and grass you see to the side is from me clearing them with my bare hands, I went to the office to complain as I have done many times before. The man who took my report, told me, we have over 500,000 thousand grave, he would have someone look into it. Do they tell you this when you buy the gravesite, NO. They are sort of to the back of the cemetery, no one looks there, if you have a tall grave marker your good. This is a real embarrassment, and I don't believe the Queen of Heaven would be happy.