It has often been said that a person should take at least one great road trip during their lives to truly appreciate the vastness and diversity of the world around them. In a nation dotted with so many sites paying homage to the value of memorialization, a mortician’s road trip offers a unique opportunity to delve into the rich history of funeral customs, traditions and cultural expressions of remembrance.
Recently, ASD created a new mortician’s road trip series on our blog, highlighting places where the solemn beauty of mortality intertwines with the richness of history and culture. We have dedicated considerable time researching destinations we believe will ignite inspiration among funeral directors in our effort to curate an itinerary that broadens the perspectives of folks in the deathcare profession.
In Part 1 of the series, we explored over two dozen sites from the Northeast to the Southwest, including stunning cemeteries, moving veteran memorials, civil war history sites, notable graves, and more. In Part 2, we focused on a journey from the southwest to the pacific northwest, exploring haunting ghost towns, ancient Native American ruins, historic homes, natural wonders, unique museums and more. And in Part 3, we discovered famous gravesites, Oregon trail landmarks, collector oddities shops, national monuments, quirky roadside attractions and more.
The Ultimate Mortician’s Road Trip Adventure
Part IV: The Midwest to the Northeast
The fourth and final leg of our mortician’s road trip adventure begins in the Great Lakes region of our country. Traveling from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, you’ll discover incredible destinations in both sprawling cities and rural small towns. As you wind your way around the Midwest, you’ll drive through seven states, visiting unique funeral homes, Native American burial mounds, sculpture gardens, storied monuments, fascinating museums and more. With approximately 35 hours of driving time, you can complete the final portion of our mortician’s road trip in about seven days if driving five hours per day.
Be sure to click on the links below to explore the other legs of our road trip series.
Part I: Northeast to Southwest
Part 2: Southwest to Pacific Northwest
Part 3: West Coast to the Great Lakes
Minnesota and Wisconsin
First stop: St Paul
While the third section of our mortician’s road trip series ended in Minneapolis, our fourth installment begins in the other twin city. Start your road exploring St. Paul, checking out some fascinating and unusual sites like the Wabasha Street Caves (215 Wabasha St), an underground cavern with a storied past. Saint Paul is also home to the Vision of Peace statue (15 W. Kellog Blvd), the world’s largest carved onyx figure. Featuring a tribute to Native American pipe ceremonies, the striking carving oscillates slowly, adding to its majestic allure. Finally, before you leave the city, take some time to visit Como Park to see the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Fireplace (1151 Como Ave), an impressive fireplace tribute to the poet whose words inspired the founder of the park’s arboretum. If you’re lucky, you might be able to time your visit to when the famous corpse flower is in bloom at the nearby park conservatory.
Next up, drive two hours south to visit Niagara Cave (29842 Co Rd 30, Harmony MN) where you can explore an underground waterfall, 450 million-year-old fossils, and incredible limestone rock formations. From a subterranean wedding chapel to lantern light or black light tour options, this place offers a lot to explore for an adventurous funeral director. After your spelunking adventures, head northeast toward Fountain City, WI, taking time to stop at Sugar Loaf Bluff (825 E Lake Blvd, Winona MN). Located in the quaint riverside community of Winona, this scenic rock pinnacle is a distinctive landmark believed by Dakota tribes to be a scared burial site that was cleaved in two.
As you bid farewell to Minnesota, you will cross over the mighty Mississippi and enjoy impressive views of the river on your way to Fountain City. This natural scenic byway is known as the Wisconsin Great River Road and offers some of the most iconic views of the Mississippi River in all of America. If you need to stretch your legs, you won’t want to miss a visit to Kinstone (S3439 Cole Bluff Lane, Fountain City), a megalithic sculpture garden featuring stone circles, standing stones, a labyrinth, and natural buildings. From the website, “Founded by Kristine Beck in 2010, Kinstone is a deeply energetic place where people come and find they are “re-membered” and transformed in some way by the land, stone, sky and natural world.”
From Dell Prairie, journey south toward Madison and make time for a unique stop that celebrates the beauty of what lives on after its original purpose: Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron (S7703 US Hwy 12, North Freedom). This incredible sculpture garden, crafted from recycled materials, is a testament to the power of reinvention and preservation. Featuring elements like dynamos built by Thomas Edison and components from NASA’s Apollo projects, the Forevertron is officially the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world. It’s a quirky, awe-inspiring destination that showcases how even the past can create a legacy that endures.
In Madison, just 45 minutes away, take time to explore Wisconsin’s capital city visiting some sites that will remind you of the importance of remembrance and paying tribute. First up, head to Forest Hill Cemetery (1 Speedway Rd) to visit the grave of Eston Hemings who was one of Thomas Jefferson’s formerly enslaved sons. Next, stop by the Wisconsin State Capital (2 E Main St) building to see Old Abe, the taxidermized bald eagle who was the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War. Story goes that the Old Abe was routinely released to fly over battlefields to startle Confederate soldiers with his piercing shrieks and during peace times he was later honored as a war hero.
Finally, before you leave Madison, take a walk on the Lake Monona Terrace (1 John Nolen Dr) to find a plaque honoring the memory of Otis Redding. The late singer was killed in a plane crash on his way to a show in Madison, the only show he ever missed. The plaque looks out on the lake where his plane crashed surrounded by a row of marble benches where you can sit and contemplate the talented singer’s lasting legacy.
Continue southeast toward Lake Geneva, taking a short 20-minute detour to the north to visit Old World Wisconsin (W372 S9727 WI-67, Eagle). This outdoor living history museum includes 60 authentically restored historic homes, farms, stores, and workshops, providing an immersive dive into 19th-century Wisconsin life. In addition to offering many hands-on experiences that allow visitors to experience what life was like in the 1800s, they also host occasional events on historic mourning and burial practices.
Illinois
From a river with a dead end to a beacon of life, drive an hour south along Lake Michigan to Gross Point Lighthouse (2601 Sheridan Rd, Evanston). Built after one of the worst maritime disasters on the Great Lakes, this lighthouse was established to prevent shipwrecks caused by dangerous shoals and poor visibility from industrial smoke in Chicago. Completed in June 1873, its Italianate-style main building and 113-foot tower were lit in March 1874, featuring a second-order Fresnel lens—the largest optic ever used on the Great Lakes.
Continue south along Lake Michigan for another 45 minutes until you reach Chicago in all of its bustling, skyscraper-lined glory. We could write an entire blog devoted solely to things funeral directors would enjoy doing in the Windy City. Since this is a funeral director road trip, you simply must visit the cemeteries first and Chicago has more than few famous ones.
A visit to Graceland Cemetery (4001 N Clark St) is an essential stop as it is the final resting place for many of Chicago’s most prominent figures and features monuments designed by world famous architects. Be sure to see the captivating “Eternal Silence” statue—legend has it that if you gaze into its eyes for too long, you may catch a glimpse of your own demise. Equally intriguing is the mysterious Inez Clarke Monument. Perched on a stone pedestal and encased in glass, this statue of a little girl with a parasol might seem unassuming at first glance. However, local lore suggests she comes to life at night, wandering the cemetery. Since the 1980s, security guards and tour bus drivers have reported the statue’s eerie disappearances and reappearances, adding to the mystique of this historic site.
Next up and not to be missed, The International Museum of Surgical Science (1524 N Lake Shore Dr) offers a fascinating exploration of medical history, making it a unique and thought-provoking destination for funeral directors. With its extensive collection of surgical instruments, medical artifacts, and exhibits detailing the evolution of healthcare practices, the museum provides valuable insights into the human body and mortality—topics central to the funeral profession. Highlights include a preserved iron lung, antique embalming tools, and detailed anatomical displays, all of which underscore the intersections between medicine, science, and the rituals surrounding death.
Less than a half hour away, you can visit one of the most unique funeral homes in America. Things aren’t all grim at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral Home (201 N Northwest Highway, Palatine), where you’ll find a 9-hole mini-golf course in the basement. Built in the 1960s by founder Roger Ahlgrim, the course is free to play and has delighted visitors for nearly six decades. With its macabre theme—fitting for its unusual setting—it draws mini-golf enthusiasts from far and wide, offering a playful twist to a place typically associated with somber occasions. Without a doubt, a visit to this funeral home will certainly putt a smile on your face.
Completed in 1874, the towering tomb features a central granite obelisk atop a mausoleum housing the president’s remains. Surrounding it are four bronze statues representing the military branches of the time—Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Navy—with intricate stone bases. At the tomb’s base is a bronze bust of Lincoln, its nose polished to a golden shine by visitors who rub it for good luck, a tradition of unclear origin. Due to criminals attempting to steal his remains, Lincoln is buried in a vault ten feet below ground, contained in a wood box, wrapped in a steel cage, and covered over with Portland cement. The tomb draws thousands annually to Springfield to pay their respects to the Great Emancipator.
While visiting Oak Ridge, you can also visit Lincoln’s Receiving Vault. After Lincoln’s body visited the north via train and a funeral was held in Springfield, this tomb held the president’s remains for several months in 1865 before it was moved again several more times.
Finally, before leaving Springfield, be sure to stop by the Lincoln Library and Museum (212 N 6th St). Here you can see artifacts from Lincoln, his family and Civil War. In June and July, the museum has a special exhibit with a replicate of Lincoln’s hearse on display. Owned by Staab Funeral Home, the impressive hearse was built for the Lincoln Funeral Re-enactment in 2015. We here at ASD had an opportunity to see it when it was at the 2015 NFDA Convention and it is pretty incredible to view in person.
For your final stop in Illinois, drive 2 hours east to the sleepy town of Ashmore to visit the Witch Grave and Airtight bridge, two eerie sites with some unexplainable features. First, head to St. Omer Cemetery (St Omer Rd, Ashmore), a burial ground dedicated to the citizens of Omer, a ghost town that left behind an intriguing mystery. Located on the grounds of the cemetery is the Barnes monument which is curiously oriented in the opposite direction of the rest of the tombs. Even more curious is that the day of death listed for one of the four occupants, Caroline Barnes, could have never happened. That engraved date—February 31, 1882—has led many to speculate that Caroline was a witch and the date was engraved as a means to keep her from ever been resurrected. The lore surrounding the monument has made it a frequent stop for ghost hunters and dark arts enthusiasts.
Indiana
From Green Castle, head 1-hour northeast to Indianapolis. This vibrant city, known as the crossroads of America, features many interesting sites for a mortician’s road trip. First, explore the beautiful grounds of Crown Hill Cemetery (700 38th St). Marvel at the iconic archway entrance, a grand introduction to this timeless landmark. Stroll among its remarkable monuments and mausoleums, each a tribute to lives well-lived and stories worth preserving. Don’t miss the crown jewel—Crown Hill Summit—which offers breathtaking views of the city skyline, providing a peaceful and picturesque setting that is both inspiring and unforgettable.
In this video, funeral director, Kari Northey, takes you on a tour of Crown Hill Cemetery.
Not to be missed are your next two stops, both of which remind one how visiting the past is easier than you might think. First, a visit to The Ruins (6363 Spring Mill Rd), a collection of preserved 19th century New York City skyscraper remains sitting in the middle of a public park. These stone figures, arches and columns stand as hauntingly beautiful remnants of a bygone era, blending history with nature in a way that feels both surreal and enchanting. Finally, before leaving the city, take a walk through the Market Street Catacombs, a network of subterranean passageways under the city that date back to 1880s when this area of the city functioned as a public market. (Note, you will need to book a tour in advance to explore the catacombs).
As you continue along your route heading east across Indiana, you can visit the beautiful and heartbreaking dollhouse graves for Vivian Mae Allison (1894-1899) and Lova Cline (1902-1908). Both of these dollhouses were built by parents for little girls who died much too young and they have remained remarkably well preserved over the years due to the efforts of their surviving family and then later, the surrounding community. Both include glass windows you can peer through to view the dollhouse’s intricately made furniture as well as personal trinkets and toys. There is something about this image that resonates emotionally even more than a 100 years later. These dollhouse graves are not only lasting monuments to the child, but to the intense outpouring of grief from the parents.
Ohio
In Dayton, take some time to visit the grave of Johnny Morehouse in Woodland Cemetery (118 Woodland Ave), also know as the “Boy and Dog Grave”. The hauntingly beautiful monument depicts a small boy resting against a dog. The story behind the now famous monument is that Johnny died after falling into a river and the dog was unable to save to him despite vigorous attempts. After his burial, the dog remained at Johnny’s grave for weeks, and its heartbreaking loyalty was immortalized with a moving headstone that is frequented by visitors every day.
West Virginia and Pennsylvania
Your last two stops on the fourth and final part of our Mortician’s Road Trip bring you to our home state of Pennsylvania. First, stop off in Washington, PA to visit the LeMoyne Crematory (S Main St), the site of the very first cremation in America. Next, head northeast toward Pittsburgh and stop on the way to visit the grave of Andy Warhol at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery (1066 Connor Rd, Bethel Park). Here, visitors will often leave soup cans and other mementos as gifts at the famous Pop Art creator’s final resting place.
In Pittsburgh, a visit to Allegheny Cemetery (4734 Butler St) is a must, one of the oldest rural cemeteries in the United States. Established in 1844, Allegheny Cemetery is a beautiful and historically significant spot, earning it the place as the last cemetery to visit on your mortician’s road trip. It features grand Victorian mausoleums, intricate statuary, and a variety of memorial styles. Funeral directors can appreciate the cemetery’s role in the rural cemetery movement and the peaceful, contemplative landscape.
Finish your road trip with a celebratory espresso or cocktail at The Abbey on Butler Street (4635 Butler Street), a beloved eatery housed in a building that was constructed as a brass foundry in 1913 and then used as a depression-era funeral parlor that served Pittsburgh residents until 2003. The 100-year-old property is just steps away from Allegheny Cemetery and offers a unique ambiance described as part European pub, part church with many of the funeral home’s features such as oak paneling and marble veneer beautifully restored to create a truly unique dining experience.
This completes the fourth and final installment of our Mortician’s Road Trip blog series. Be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of our series for a complete cross country travel itinerary that will take you to every region of the United States. We hope that you enjoyed reading the series as much as we have loved putting it together. Be sure to share with us if our series inspired your trip and if there are any sites we may have missed on our list. Happy travels everyone!
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ASD is here to help when you need to get away
When you need to take a well-deserved vacation or simply step away from the office, ASD is here to ensure seamless communication for your funeral home. Our dedicated team covers your phones with empathy and professionalism, allowing you the freedom to embark on adventures while staying connected through our convenient mobile app. Rest assured, you can check in anytime, knowing that your funeral home communications are in capable hands.
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