DOCUMENTING THE SCREVEN MAUSOLEUM HISTORY The Screven Mausoleum is located in Laurel Grove North Cemetery on the west side of Downtown Savannah. The Cemetery was established in 1852 as a result of the closing of Colonial Park Cemetery. The cemetery was segregated at the time. African Americans were buried in Laurel Grove South Cemetery, Catholics were prohibited, and Jews were buried in an individual section. The Mausoleum was constructed in the mid1850s. In 1859, Dr. James Proctor Screven was the first person to be interred. He was the first president of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad and a former mayor of Savannah.
CONDITIONS The mausoleum is in relatively good condition considering its age and the conditions of other mausoleums in Laurel Grove cemetery. Upon documentation, some apparent problems include: • Black organic growth on the stone walls • Cracking on mortar between stones • Plant growth on cornice and in cracks of mortar Some plants on the lot that contained the Mausoleum were overgrown, but overall the site was maintained very well.
DAVIS ALLEN SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY, SAVANNAH, GA
PROCESS 1
2
SITE VISIT
3
PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION
4
MEASURE THE STRUCTURE
COMPLETE FIELD DRAWINGS
5
6
CREATE MEASURED AUTOCAD DRAWINGS
ARRANGE DRAWINGS ON SHEETS
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
COVETTO MOLDING
WINGED DISK SYMBOL
SIGNIFICANCE - EGYPTIAN REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE Although it has a relatively small size, the Screven Mausoleum is a significant structure. Laurel Grove Cemetery is significant as a site because it is exemplary of mid 19th century cemetery design. During this time, cemeteries all over the United States were being developed on the outskirts of cities. These cemeteries, including Laurel Grove, had winding pathways to allow for more interaction with nature. This closeness to nature followed the Picturesque and Enlightenment ideals of the time. The cemetery contains a great deal of in tact Victorian-era burial sites. These sites were set up as little houses with outdoor parlors for visitors, who could come to the cemetery to spend time with their deceased loved ones. Individually, the Mausoleum is significant because of its unique architectural style. It is built in the high style Egyptian Revival, which was common in the early to mid 19th century after archaeological discoveries in Egypt. Because
of Ancient Egypt’s unique burial traditions, the style was frequently chosen for buildings that represented eternity and the afterlife. Some identifying architectural features of this style include:
REEDED COLUMNS
LOTUS MOTIF ON BASE AND CAPITAL
BATTERED WALLS ROLL MOLDING WITH DIAPER PATTERN
• Reeded columns with a lotus motif • Winged disk symbol • A covetto molding • Battered exterior walls • Roll molding with diaper pattern
FLOOR PLAN
NOT ACCESSIBLE
SECTION
NOT ACCESSIBLE
SIDE ELEVATION
FRONT ELEVATION