There’s something alluring about a chapel, a pocket of quiet dedicated to reflection tucked away from whatever is going on outside. In the case of the John G. Shedd Memorial Chapel, an intriguing space hides on the grounds of the already quiet Rosehill Cemetery and it boasts a Tiffany stained glass window to admire without the crowds.
From Stockroom to Boardroom
John Graves Shedd rose from humble roots in New Hampshire and moved to Chicago in 1871. He started working Marshall Field as a stockroom clerk and worked his way up in the company from sales to management. Field once called Shedd “the greatest merchant in the United States.” When Field died in 1906, Shedd took over as the president of Marshall Field and Company.
Like many millionaires of his day, Shedd was a philanthropist who donated to worthy causes. He is best known for the Shedd Aquarium, which began construction after he donated $3 million. Although Shedd did not live to see the completed aquarium, it was the world’s largest aquarium at the time and it remains one of Chicago’s top cultural attractions.
Memorial Chapel
When Shedd died in 1926 at age 76, the funeral was private but included the likes of Vice President Charles G. Dawes as an honorary pallbearer. He was laid to rest in the mausoleum at Rosehill Cemetery. Shedd’s final resting place includes not only a burial chamber for him and his family, but a chapel for all visitors to enjoy.
The oppenness of the John G. Shedd Memorial Chapel is welcome after navigating the compressing, albeit beautiful, mausoleum hallways. At the center of the room, light filtered through a stained glass skylight reflects on the marble floor. A ring of marble benches with leather cushions surrounds the center. They face a podium that stands in front of the entrance to the Shedd family chamber.
Shedd Memorial Chapel is located on the ground level of the mausoleum behind the main entrance of the 1914 structure. However, visitors must enter through the modern expansion of the mausoleum and walk east to find it. The mausoleum’s stillness is admittedly eerie, but at least one can admire the Yule marble floors, bronze doors, and stained glass windows on the walk.
Natural elements befitting an aquarium founder decorate the chapel and burial chamber. Look for patterns of leaves and waves amid the classical elements. Seashells and seahorses adorn the bronze chairs along the walls. Leaves weave around the skylight pattern.
Unexpected Tiffany
The Shedd family burial chamber lies behind a set of decorative bronze doors. Pillars topped with illuinated urns rise on either side of the doors. Yet rather than being imposing, a blue light welcomes you in. It’s emanating from a none other than a Tiffany stained glass window.
Three panels depict a wooded setting in blue and green glass. A cloaked figure in the center panel, the Angel of Truth, wears a key around his neck and carries a sword in one hand and and a torch in the other. If you visit at the right time of day, the chamber glows with green and blue light feeling very aquarium-like indeed.
There are over 30 Tiffany stained glass windows in the mausoleum, according to the Driehaus Musuem, but this is the grandest. Much like Cleveland’s Wade Chapel, the Tiffany triptych is an unexpected treasure waiting for those who pause in this space.
Chicago’s Largest Cemetery
Covering 325 acres, Rosehill Cemetery is home to many other famous names. From the founders of Sears and Oscar Mayer to Civil War Generals and murderers Leopold and Loeb, Shedd keeps colorful company at Rosehill.
Rosehill is known for its limestone casetellated entrance. William Boyington designed the fortress-like entry in 1864 and is a designated Chicago Landmark. Look familiar? He also designed the Chicago Water Tower. Boyington is another permanent resident of Rosehill Cemetery.
Visit Rosehill Cemetery
Rosehill Cemetery is free to visit and open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mind the time, as there are many signs posted warning you not to get locked in!
Want to discover other hidden places in Chicago? Check out my book Secret Chicago!
Rosehill Cemetery
5800 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
Sources
- Hucke, Matt. “Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum,” Graveyards.com.
- “John G. Shedd Burial Today; Rites Private: Leaders Praise His Life and Work.” Chicago Daily Tribune , 23 Oct. 1936.
- Rice, Linze, and Ali Tanveer. “The History, Heroes And Hauntings Of Chicago’s Famed Rosehill Cemetery.” DNAinfo Chicago, 17 Apr. 2017.
- The Richard H. Driehaus Museum. “Stop 2: Rosehill Mausoleum.” Vamonde.
- Shedd Aquarium. “Remembering John G. Shedd on His Birthday.” Shedd Aquarium, 20 July 2010.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
as a student of the work of sydney lovell, and a lover and amateur expert of the mausoleum, two things need to be noted:
-the ceiling leaded glass is symmetrical; your duplication of the information from matt huecke’s site, where he claims a panel is out of alignment is false. your own photo bears this it. you simply need to study it to see the symmetry is in place.
-secondly, the chapel is located on the FIRST level, or GARDEN level, not the second, as you indicate. the lower level, known as the TERRACE level, is below ground. there is no SECOND floor, except in a small portion of the east side of the original structure from 1914.
-finally, the marble is Yule, not Carrara.
Hi Grace, thank you for the information! I had a hard time finding primary sources on this construction and I appreciate you sharing your expertise. I will update the article accordingly.