Park Cemetery, 801 South Baker Street

Introduction

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Carthage's largest cemetery was established in 1879 by Timothy Regan and later developed by his son Samuel. Park Cemetery also is home to the local Grand Army of the Republic post's Civil War monument and burial section for Civil War veterans (see Clio entry for GAR Monument). Other Civil War veterans are buried throughout the cemetery outside the GAR plot including Raphael G. Rombauer who died in 1912 but whose remains were not interred until 2015 once they were discovered and claimed by a family descendant (1). Other military veterans are buried throughout the cemetery and Memorial Day services are held annually.

Images

Mausoleum at Park Cemetery constructed of Carthage limestone.

Perkins family marker in Park Cemetery. Joseph Perkins was a long-time county judge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is the father of zoologist and television personality R. Marlin Perkins.

Grave marker for R. Marlin and Carol Perkins in Park Cemetery near the Perkins family stone.

Park Cemetery is full of old trees and is a great spot to view fall color that Carthage is known for throughout the region. An annual festival (3rd Saturday of October) is called Maple Leaf Festival and takes place throughout town.

Digitization on "Clio" is part of Powers Museum's "Digital Carthage" project in honor of Carthage's 175th Anniversary Celebration (March 28, 2017 through March 27, 2018).

Funding for the Walking in the Wards tour was made possible by a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Spring 2017.

Backstory and Context

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Park's Egyptian Revival mausoleum, called Oak Crest Abbey, is located off the main entrance and drive and can be visited. Many of the individual family mausoleums and gravestones throughout the cemetery are fashioned out of local limestone, Unfortunately, several late 19th century cast iron urns made by the former Carthage Foundry (see Clio entry for company) and used at graves, including the foundry's owners' grave, have been stolen. Numerous Woodmen of the World markers can be found in the older sections (those to south of main entrance/drive).

Among the notables buried here is R. Marlin Perkins, zoologist and television personality, who grew up in Carthage (Carthage High School Class of 1923; see Clio entry for Central Park and Perkins House, 902 S. Main).

Sources

http://civil-war-picket.blogspot.com/2015/04/backstory-102-years-after-his-death.html Viewed June 22, 2017. (1)

Powers Museum Vertical File: Park Cemetery, Timothy Regan.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

All contemporary photographs by Michele Hansford, c. 2017.