Hey...we're going to Elmwood Cemetery at Noon on March 8th. We're going to do some clean up, explore the cemetery a bit, and tour the beautiful old stone chapel at the center of the Cemetery. The Cemetery and the Chapel are an important part of Kansas City History...why don't you come out and help? It will be fun...



Bring limbcutters, rakes, and work gloves if you have them. If you don't, then just bring yourself! And make sure you bring a camera if you have one. You'll probably want to take some photos. Elmwood is at 4900 E Truman Rd in Kansas City, MO. Go HERE for more details.

A lot of great folks are already coming to this...I hope to see you there too!

Mark Stinson

Decorum could be defined as, "propriety in manners and conduct." Or perhaps you prefer, "appropriate and dignified behavior." Or maybe, "behaviour in keeping with good taste and propriety." Regardless of your exact definition of "decorum," its pretty much means the same thing.

Essentially, based on the time and place of your surroundings, you are expected to act in a certain dignified and appropriate way. So what is the correct decorum for a cemetery...or more specifically a cemetery like Elmwood Cemetery?

We must remember that the peaceful dead that rest in Elmwood have living families that visit them. We must keep in mind that new burials continue to take place at Elmwood, and grieving families are in the cemetery to make arrangments and bury their loved ones. And we should respect the 36,000 people at rest in the cemetery...whether there is anyone at the cemetery or not.

Correct decorum. There would be nothing wrong with quietly walking the grounds, and taking photos of the beauty of Elmwood. Nothing wrong with bringing your family there, and having a quiet lunch at the picnic tables along Heroes Way. There would be nothing wrong with driving through Elmwood, and admiring the history there.

Bad decorum. Horseplay. Littering. Loud laughter. Running around. Goofing around. Climbing on grave-markers. Or acting in any way that might disturb visiting family member or anyone at the cemetery that is in mourning.

In a sense, its pretty common-sense really. But even just recently, there were people in the cemetery goofing around, laughing loudly, and video-taping each other...at the same time that a grieving family was making funeral arrangements. This is simply bad behavior and lacks the decorum and respect that the cemetery, its history, and the families of those at rest there deserve. The grieving family was pretty upset by the whole things...and that's the last thing they needed really at that moment.

When I heard this story...I really felt a need to post something here on the website. I imagine everyone that visits our site already acts with proper decorum when in the cemetery, but just in case...it was worth posting...

Mark Stinson
Friend of Elmwood

Over the next few weeks, we'll be introducing you to some of the Friends of Elmwood. Who is it that maintains the website? Who is it that writes the biographies? Who's taking all the photos? Who is giving us advice and helping to guide our positive and supportive approach to Elmwood Cemetery? There's no reason to keep it a mystery...we'll just tell you!

First off, let's start with the webmaster...me. I'm Mark Stinson, a father of three wonderful kids. I live with my wife and little ones North of the River, near Liberty. We really enjoy visiting historic sites and museums as a family, and that includes Elmwood Cemetery of course.

Way back in 1990, I earned Bachelor of Arts Degrees in History, Political Science, and Philosophy from Rockhurst, a Jesuit University in Kansas City. I went to law school for a year-and-a-half before deciding my real calling was in law enforcement.

I have worked as a police officer for the Kansas City Missouri Police Department since 1993, and I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2001. I've worked at the 63rd Street station, South Patrol, East Patrol on 27th, Headquarters at 12th and Locust, and now I work at North Patrol Division.

I like building websites that support my personal interests, and this Historic Elmwood site is just one of my websites. This website served as the official website of Elmwood Cemetery for about 6 months, but recently the Elmwood Cemetery Society decided to go in a different direction and infomed me that this website was now "unofficial" and my own "personal endeavor."

And thus the Friends of Elmwood was born! After all, my real interest all along has been in supporting and promoting Elmwood Cemetery itself...not the Board of the Elmwood Cemetery Society, good people though they be.

I'll be making changes to the website to make it very clear to visitors that this is not the "official" Elmwood Cemetery website. It takes time to change the whole purpose of a website though. Doesn't happen overnight.

I took the photo on the right yesterday at Elmwood, with a very inexpensive digital camera. My good camera was at home. Its not a high-quality photo...but I liked how the colors turned out...and thought I would share it.

-Mark Stinson

Have you heard of the "Friends of Elmwood?" No? Well, now you have! The Friends of Elmwood is a collection of people with a shared interest...a shared love for Historic Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.

We aren't paid. We don't want kudos or rewards. We have nothing to gain. We just want to see Elmwood recognized and treated as the treasure that it is.

So what's next? New Biographies for the website! There are hundreds already, but with over 36,000 people buried at website we are not nearly done!

What is Elmwood's Connection with Walt Disney? Which of the people at rest in Elmwood attended Abraham Lincoln's funeral in Springfield, Illinois? What is Elmwood's connection with William Harrison's presidential campaign? Well, you'll be the first to know...just check back on our site in about a week!

The Friends of Elmwood will bring you photos of the Cemetery in all seasons. Historical information and biographies from across time. And we'll win you over to the idea that a day spent exploring Elmwood Cemetery was a day well-spent.

Would you like to be a Friend of Elmwood? Visit Elmwood. Post about your experiences there on our message board. Share your photos with us. Drop us a line using our Contact Form. And there you are...you too are a Friend of Elmwood...

Mark Stinson

You know...now that we are "unofficial," its important to make something clear. Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City is an amazing place. Its beautiful. Its historic. Its interesting and fun to visit. And, I really mean it when I say there is no place like it in the rest of the city.

And while this website is now "unofficial," we understand that decision was the Elmwood Cemetery Society's decision to make. That's their right and obligation...they run the cemetery...they get to decide these things. Its their job!

So this website will NOT become some bitter and dark. Regretful or mean. Distracting or desperate. It will the opposite of those things...

It will be bright and full of information. It will enlighten visitors to the beauty of Elmwood, and encourage folks to visit the cemetery for themselves. And hopefully, the website can dovetail with and compliment the mission of those that manage the Cemetery.

We realize that Elmwood Cemetery is timeless. It is gift to Kansas City, and a lot more important that a little bump-in-the-road...or a little change from "official" to "unofficial." And so, we will be Friends of Elmwood first.

If you think otherwise...we aim to prove you wrong!



-Mark

(This beautiful B&W photo was sent to me by Ted...more of his photos will be shared on this website soon! Share you photos of Elmwood by e-mailing them to voidpulp@yahoo.com)

Quote:

Back in October of 2005, some folks gathered at Elmwood Cemetery to play Tombstone Hold 'Em. The idea of the game is to use the shapes at the tops of tombstones to represent the suits in a deck of cards, and to use other details about the grave markings to determine the value of the card, or its royalty.

A visitor to our website sent me a link to the Flickr account filled with photos of children and adults playing Tombstone Hold 'Em right here in Elmwood.

There is also a little snippet from a news story describing the story behind the game (though I believe that story is a hoax, and not true). And a partial copy of the rules. I am seeking to get the full rules from the game designer through e-mail as you read this...

Now obviously, its important we respect both the people at rest in Elmwood and the families of those at rest. But Elmwood was built to be a park-like place to visit. People would come out for picnics, and for recreation.

Its our modern culture that insists on making cemeteries "off-limits" places that you only visit on certain holidays, and where you must whisper among the graves...

Click Here to see the photos!

-Mark