A STUDY OF CONTRASTS
Even in cemeteries and
memorial parks, there may be glaring indications of economic disparities. On one side of the metaphorical fence,
headstones are jammed together, blatantly representative of the tight
accommodations and lack of space below.
However, on some properties there
are pretty significant pieces of burial land available to anyone willing to
shell out a pretty penny. Termed “family estates,” these apportioned lots
enable a group of related people to have their bodies repose in clustered proximity
to one another. Often the delineated
spaces are defined by hedges, stone walls, or wrought iron gates, creating a
degree of separation from neighboring family groups.
Highland Memorial Park is
graced by a swathe of such sectioned territories, rendering a park-like setting shaded
by overhanging trees.
Situated next to an open expanse of land, there is no sense of confinement here.
Beyond this region of family
estates are views unobstructed by conspicuous headstones or other memorial
hardware. But passing through the semblance of a gate (not the Pearly one!) takes a visitor to “the other side” where such
traditional structures abound.
A
distinct division between the two properties is achieved visually by observing the labeled designation on the stone entrance stanchions flanking the
road.
The exclusivity of flat
markers accentuated by similarly staked artificial flowers on one side of the extensive property also tells the story.
