This ought to be a fun challenge for the BT mastermind.
My wife is chairperson of our local cemetery committees. She has recently heard from a potential sponsor that there could be a donation to help fix up one of the old semi-deserted burial grounds here, and he wants a ‘proposal’ outlining work needed and costs.
Her Q to me is where we can find pictures, drawings, or photos of old wire cemetery fences that she can use for inspiration and illustration s in her presentation.
But I tghought additionally that this could be a good discussion of fence styles and appearances in general, and a place to share photos or website links.
Thanks
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Piffin,
Are you looking for fence styles for cemeteries only, or the whole gamut of different styles.
We have done some cemetery fencing, but nothing historically accurate. In my mind I see either ornamental iron (steel these days) or loop style wire fence on steel posts with decorative tops. Most of them are not very tall, 2 1/2 - 3' tall at most.
With respect to iron fencing, historically I see actual wrought iron panels attached to fairly small line posts with ornate "box" posts at corners and ends. Most of these involved liitle welding, using rivets instead. The panels would use formed steel bars with decorative finials, and baskets occasionally. Most have no top rail, but a rail 6" or so above ground and one about 12" down from the top. Line posts can be small and have a decorative finial or plain. The corners, gates, and ends seem to be more ornate with the box look I described.
Wire fences typically had round posts with a ball top and a 1 1/2" top rail. The wire was a lawn loop style, with a loop at the top and one below that lapped the taller loops. The wire itself was sometimes marcelled (crimped) along it's length. This was attached to the rail and posts with tie wire.
Finding the historiacally accurate parts, and/or fabricators may be difficult. But the iron style fence should be able to be replicated by any good welding shop. I can buy parts for these fences from Texas Metal Industries, and Triple S Steel, also located in Texas.
Regionally, I am sure there are differences as well, but I know of two fairly old cemeteries around Fort Collins that have these styles of fences. I will try to get a couple of digital pics and post them if I can. I have never tried to posts pics here.
Hope this helped some, I have about 18 years in the fence industry, albeit mostly commercial these days, so feel free to ask.
Cole
Cole Dean
Dean Contracting
From my viewpoint, I'm interested in seeing photos of all kinds of fencing, especially historical, having seen some nice victorian stuff. But she is specifically interested in photos of cemetery wire loop fence or other suggestions that can make things nice without spending as much as a stone wall, for instance.
We have been to a place in Commerce City ( Hutchisons?) for loop wire fence on another one like you describe.
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Piffin,
Remember a while back there was a post about cast concrete or stone obelisks?
Turned out they were fence posts for a square grid 4-6"sq wire fence? Some even had a name for th wire fence.
A few grave yards that I remember had fencing like that, at least on the boundaries other than one facing a public road.
Many of these yard shared a boundary with the RR Tracks and they used something similiar as did the New York City Watershed for all of it's upstate lands.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
I don't think I read that thread but I remember the title is all. I think there is a smaller family burial ground here that has granite corner posts with chain sagging between them
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piffin,
Here are a few from google images.
http://images.google.com/images?q=cemetery+fences&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search
KK
It's not a wire fence, but it is historical. See the attached link. Believe it or not I actually received an invitation and did attend the dedication of the fence. Proves there's not much going on in some towns.
Their historian may have photos of other fences. There are lots of old cemeteries in the county.
http://slcha.org/house.html
I'm surprised that no one has pointed out that Isleboro is in need of fences for the cemetery because people are "dying to get in".
Okay, okay I'm leaving on my own...
Jon Blakemore
Actually, this one is sooooo olde that any ghosts there will have forgotten there adresses by now and no new bodies have been planted there for a hundred years or so.
But there is something to your joking point. The rates for a plot here are low compared to many places so some folks from away are buying.
Just think of it - our newest industry on island - "Plantings par excellance"
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Thanks for the peplies, guys.
A good start on leads
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Paul
I could shoot some pictures of the few fences left on my property from da ol' daze but theyre wooden. No good?
Not 326 yrs old I dont think but they are as old as cameras at least.
Basic picket style.
Funny thang tho.......all the bs about CCA but these pickets were made right from the tree and are still standing.
Makes ya wonder.don't it?(Katrina will kill me for not saying "doesn't it"...oiy)
And not to hijack your thread but Mike and Helen are doing a car trip to LI and will be hooking up with me and Shglaw and we'll help give the tour of Teddy roosevelts crib and maybe the Vanderbuilt if they have time and Shaggy and my cribs...all within 15 minutes of each other....the weekend of the 20 something this month...along with dinner etc etc....wanna caravan?
Be well
####
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Thanks, but too tied up right now. Yesterday, I had three major client meetings. One for pre-punch list review. one for initial design meet with new client ( did the concept presentation and got deposit thisAM) and one to finalize a difficult permit application for submission with all five copies etc, etc,etc It had to happen last night bwecause it normally goes in monday but since Columbus discovered America monday, the package had to be certified mail saturday and the PO here closes before noon. So I was burning a little midnite mooshine with the client on that one.
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attached are two photos I found from Boston cemetaries, from the Granary Burial Ground and from King's Chapel
I'd be happy to try and take a detail shot for you if these interest you-
Thanks, We've been there and photographed it. Boston has so much to admire in architechrtural details! Sometime I'd like to just spend a few days shooting the entrances in Beacon Hill
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Check out the Old House Journal. They have years of that stuff filed away, you just have to find it in their archives.
I would bet the iron work is victorian anyway, probably not the period you're looking for. You could try calling SPNEA, they have a reference line for people looking for historically accurate details-