Chapel of the Chimes was founded as California Electric Crematory in 1909 as a

crematory A crematorium or crematory is a venue for the cremation of the dead. Modern crematoria contain at least one cremator (also known as a crematory, retort or cremation chamber), a purpose-built furnace. In some countries a crematorium can also b ...

and

columbarium A columbarium (; pl. columbaria) is a structure for the reverential and usually public storage of funerary urns, holding cremated remains of the deceased. The term can also mean the nesting boxes of pigeons. The term comes from the Latin "''colu ...

at 4499 Piedmont Avenue, at the entrance of Mountain View cemetery in

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...

. The present building dates largely from a 1928 redevelopment based on the designs of the architect

Julia Morgan Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) was an American architect and engineer. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long and prolific career.Erica Reder"Julia Morgan was a local in ''The New Fillmore'', 1 Febr ...

. The Spanish Gothic architecture features Moorish motifs and the interior is a maze of small rooms featuring ornate stonework, statues, gardens, fountains and mosaics.

History

Chapel of the Chimes Exterior (150955804)

The chapel originates with a

built in 1909 by the California Crematorium Association on the site of a trolley car station; the old structure still has train schedules on the wall. Architect

was hired to expand the facility; the new crematory and

were dedicated on

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

1928, named Chapel of the Chimes for the chimes in the tower. Architect Aaron Green, a protégé of

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...

, subsequently contributed six additions over 24 years, including mausoleums. The building maintains its original functions, and also serves as the venue for annual music festivals on the winter and summer

solstice A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countr ...

s. The chapel's owners operate funeral homes and cemeteries, not designed by Morgan, in Hayward, also under the name Chapel of the Chimes, as well as Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes in

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

. Chapel of the Chimes holds the records of the Chapel of Memories on Pleasant Valley Avenue.

Garden of Memory

''Garden of Memory'' has been held 1996–present; this is a columbarium walk-through event held every year on the evening of the summer solstice. It features over 40 musicians performing on unique instruments, or compositions designed for the event. The sound is often electronic or electro-acoustic in source and then electronically processed.

Notable interments

Notable burials include the following: *

Harriet Chalmers Adams Harriet Chalmers Adams (October 22, 1875 – July 17, 1937) was an American explorer, writer and photographer. She traveled extensively in South America, Asia and the South Pacific in the early 20th century, and published accounts of her journeys ...

(1875–1937), explorer *

Malcolm Playfair Anderson Malcolm Playfair Anderson (6 April 1879 – 21 February 1919) was an American zoologist and explorer. Anderson took part in several scientific expeditions, and was chosen in 1904 to lead the Duke of Bedford's Exploration of Eastern Asia. Ea ...

(1879–1919), explorer and zoologist *

Dick Bartell __NOTOC__ Richard William Bartell (November 22, 1907 – August 4, 1995), nicknamed "Rowdy Richard", was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from to . One of the ...

(1907–1995), baseball player *

Russ Christopher Russell Ormand Christopher (September 12, 1917 – December 5, 1954) was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for seven seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics (1942-1947) and Cleveland Indians (1948). In 241 care ...

(1917–1954), baseball player *

Frederick George Coppins Frederick George Coppins (25 October 1889 – 20 March 1963) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and other Commonwealth ...

(1889–1963),

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

in World War I * Al Davis (1929–2011),

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

executive and Oakland Raiders owner * John A. Elston (1874–1921), US Congressman * Wesley Englehorn (1890-1993), college football player and coach * William Frederick "Bones" Ely (1863–1952), baseball player * John Lee Hooker (1917–2001), musician *

Charles Goodall Lee Charles Goodall Lee (1881 – 1973) was an American dentist, and the first licensed Chinese American dentist in California. Lee financed the building of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance lodge in Oakland, California. He graduated from the Sc ...

(1881 – 1973), First Chinese American Dentist *

Stephen Stucker Stephen Stucker (July 2, 1947 – April 13, 1986) was an American actor, known for portrayals of bizarre characters, notably the manic control-room worker Johnny in the early 1980s ''Airplane!'' movies and the stenographer in the courtroom seque ...

(1947-1986), Actor, comedian *

Friend Richardson Friend William Richardson (born William Richardson; December 1, 1865September 6, 1943) was an American newspaper publisher and politician, most famous for supporting a 1923 gun control bill aimed at Chinese and Latinos. A member of the Progressiv ...

(1865–1943), California governor *

Henry Vollmer Henry Vollmer (July 28, 1867 – August 25, 1930) was an attorney, the mayor of Davenport, Iowa, and a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Winning a special election in 1914, he served just over one year in ...

(1867–1930), mayor of Davenport, Iowa, US Congressman * Herbert Archer (H.A.) Richardson, timber and shipping magnate * Grace Richardson Butterfield, California State Parks Board, Grand Matron of the Eastern Star

References

External links

Garden of MemoryChapel of the Chimes (Oakland, California)
* * * {{Find a Grave cemetery, 7896, Chapel of the Chimes Columbarium and Mausoleum Chapels in California Columbaria Julia Morgan buildings Churches in Oakland, California Music venues in the San Francisco Bay Area Cemeteries in Alameda County, California 1909 establishments in California

History

Garden of Memory

Notable interments

See also

References

External links