Graceland Cemetery Symbolism and Architecture Tour with Mandy Crypt

Join us for a unique walking tour of the famous Graceland Cemetery! This one is a little different from my usual walks as I will not be the tour guide. The tour will be led by long time guide and former local resident, Mandy Crypt on a walk-through Graceland Cemetery with its symbolism, history, and architecture. This cemetery has a long-storied history and a lot of famous residents!

It will be a great walk on a lovely fall Saturday afternoon. It's a multi-meetup group event! While it is not a strict photo walk, there will be many opportunities to take pictures!

There is a $25 fee per person. THIS IS A PAID PRIVATE GRAVEYARD WALKING TOUR OF THE BEAUTIFUL & HISTORIC GRACELAND CEMETERY WITH AN EXPERT CHICAGO GUIDE. Your tour will be led by Mandy Crypt, who has many years of experience leading tours of Chicago. She has worked with Effing Chicago, Chicago for Chicagoans and her own tour company for some time and is a tour guide expert!

We will start at the West Gate Entrance of the cemetery on Clark St at the Greenwood Gate - 4264 N. Clark St - which is down the block from the main entrance on Irving and Clark. Bus stops on the CTA #22 Clark line are nearby the West Gate Entrance. Rideshares (Uber, Lyft, etc) typically will drop off at the main entrance but the west gate is an easy walk from there

Please dress appropriately for the weather, remember to hydrate and wear your walking shoes, and hit the bathrooms before you come! Lastly, please be prompt as we will only wait a few minutes after start time to begin out tour.

IF YOU WISH TO PAY IN CASH IN PERSON INSTEAD ON THE DAY OF THE WALK, PLEASE MESSAGE ME DIRECTLY AT [email protected] or TEXT ME at 312.835.4259, SO I CAN ARRANGE FOR YOU TO PAY AT THE START OF THE TOUR.

Graceland Cemetery is one of Chicago’s most intriguing tourist spots. A true arboretum, a sculpture garden, a wildlife sanctuary, and a home for Chicago’s departed residents - there is much to be said about this stunning place.

Mandy Crypt will lead us through the headstones and mausoleums for some Chicago's famous and infamous folks, buried under the majestic trees and haunting sculptures of Graceland Cemetery. While learning the stories of the eternal residents, we'll also decode some of the secret language of symbols used in many monuments and memorials around the country, not just here in Chicago.

Highlights include: the Pullman grave, the Schoenhofer tomb, the Palmer tomb, and the Getty tomb.

The tour is about 1.5 miles of walking outside so wear good walking shoes and proper outdoor clothing for the Chicago fall weather.
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After the walk, some of us may grab a bite at one of many fabulous restaurants in the area. These are a few options: Port & Park Bistro & Bar, 4000 N Southport Ave, or BienMeSabe Venezuelan Cafe & Restaurant, 1637 W Montrose Ave.. All are welcome to join!

Long famous as the “Cemetery of Architects,” Graceland Cemetery even owes its design and exceptional natural beauty to two 19th century landscape architects.

It began with a plan by landscape architect Cleveland, which, in the 1870’s, saw the cemetery’s paths and plots uniformly sodded, and the fenced and curbed plot boundaries eliminated. William Le Baron Jenney, a renowned architect but less well known for his landscape work, contributed significantly with his design and engineering input. This helped created the Victorian park style atmosphere that soon was enhanced by Ossian Simonds. When Graceland grew to its present size, Simonds innovative design used native plants to create the cemetery’s pastoral landscape, which today makes it one of the most beautiful places in Chicago for residents and tourists to visit.

​Mandy is a Chicago native who enjoys the weird, spooky, obscure, and the hilarious in history. She's been doing tours and talks for over six years now, working with students, the elderly, and everyone in between. Mandy Crypt delves into a world of the strange and usual, untold, and often creepy side of history. She specializes in women's history, queer history, & Victoriana. https://www.facebook.com/MandyCrypt/

For more info about Chicago for Chicagoans, click here:
http://www.chicagoforchicagoans.org
For more info about Effing Chicago click here:
http://effingchicago.com/

If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/ - easily accessible by bus and train

If you drive, there is metered street parking and some free side streets. Limited parking inside the cemetery

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The tour will meet just at the West Gate Entrance of the cemetery on Clark St at the Greenwood Gate - 4264 N. Clark St - which is down the block from the main entrance on Irving and Clark. The West Gate is located between Irving Ave and Montrose Ave

PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!

How to find us: *TICKETED EVENT* Meet outside the WEST Gate Entrance of the cemetery on Clark St at the Greenwood Gate - 4264 N. Clark St- look for the large group gathered, Call me at (312) 835-4259 if lost or late

For more info about my meetup group, click on the links below:

https://www.meetup.com/1001-things-to-see-in-chicago-before-you-die/

Host or Publisher 1001 Things to See in Chicago Before You Die