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Masonry Industry Promotion Group
Project Focus
When Fairmount Memorial Association enlisted the services of our architectural firm, Glen A. Cloninger and Associates, to improve the entrance to Riverside Memorial Park and to design the Rose Circle Columbarium, I suggested that the design incorporate and replicate the original Riverside Cemetary Arch and Bell Tower entry designed by turn-of-the-century architect Kirtland K. Cutter. Cutter focused on the use of rough basalt stone of the surrounding area, which is so indigenous to the Spokane area. The original entry arch and bell tower was a well-known landmark for many years until the early 1950's, when trucks and other vehicles could no longer pass under it. The previous owners of the Fairmount Cemetary elected to demolish the structure, losing a piece of Spokane history, until we proposed the idea to resurrect it. The Memorial Association had five requirements for the new Columbarium: a rose garden, a niche wall, an entrance feature, a gazebo, and a water feature. The resulting monument blends the historical entities of the original caretaker's cottage, stables, lavatories, and the entrance gate with the more recent buildings.
Reconstruction of the original entry was not without challenges. First, there were no drawings available. The only known guidelines were two old photographs, which were taken off the wall of the caretaker's office at Riverside Cemetary. Scale of the project had to be determined by scaling comparisons from background items in the pictures. Another challenge was to reproduce construction details, yet be cost effective. The craftsmanship of the masons needed to be the highest levels in order to obtain similarity of the original character. The Mason Contractors Association was able to fulfill the need of local stone masons. The original Bell Tower and Arched openings were constructed with much larger stone pieces, perhaps some as large as four to five feet in each direction. Availability and costs had to take precedence in the decision to use as large units as possible. It appears that the original structures were probably solid, load bearing structures, requiring a special artisan or craftsman to construct. In order to be cost effective and realistic, our firm incorporated the use of concrete masonry units to build the infrastructure, and then provide a basalt veneer to replicate the final design details. This procedure will last the lifetime of the mortar, and with reasonable maintenance, with last hundreds of years. This new arch is the main walk-through entry into the Rose Circle. The campanile is the monumental focal point of the main entry gate into the Cemetery. The original bell in the tower could not be found, however, a bell on loan from the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist now hangs in the new tower, a gesture by the church for the benefit of the community. A circular masonry wall encompasses 647 individual granite niches, to view from within the Rose Circle. The center of the Circle contains a gazebo, fountain area, and five stone pylons soaring towards heaven, giving a spiritual and mystic Stonehenge-like effect. We intended the pylons to represent the number five in different cultures and religions, and in nature. In Christianity, the number 5 represents the 5 wounds of Christ, the five extremities of the Cross, and the five senses. In nature they represent sky, water, vegetation, living creatures, and earth. Ivy beds have been positioned around the walls and pylons to soften the basalt stone. As the project patinas, the structure will achieve the effect of being harmonious with nature. Again, Spokane has a monument blending the new and the old, with natural materials, and serving as a beautiful memorial ground for the future. |
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© 2003 - 2006 Janet Crosby all rights reserved
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