NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions.

1. Name of Property Historic name: Oxford Community Mausoleum Other names/site number: Oakgrove Community Mausoleum, Benton County Mausoleum Name of related multiple property listing: Early Community Mausoleum Movement in Indiana ______2. Location Street & number: 3268 W State Rd 352 City or town: Oxford State: IN County: Benton Not For Publication: Vicinity: X ______3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination ___ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property __X_ meets ___ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: ___national __X_statewide _X__local Applicable National Register Criteria: _X__A ___B _X__C ___D

Signature of certifying official/Title: Date Indiana DNR-Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official: Date

Title : State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

______4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is: entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register other (explain:) ______

______Signature of the Keeper Date of Action ______5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) Private:

Public – Local x

Public – State

Public – Federal

Category of Property (Check only one box.)

Building(s) x

District

Site

Structure

Object

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing _____1______buildings

______sites

______structures

______objects

______Total

Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register _____0______6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) FUNERARY – Graves/Burials ______

Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) FUNERARY – Graves/Burials ______

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

______7. Description

Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.) LATE VICTORIAN: Romanesque Revival ______

Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) foundation: Concrete walls: Concrete roof: Terra Cotta other: Glass

Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______Summary Paragraph

Located in the Oxford West Cemetery the Oxford Community Mausoleum is situated in the southeastern portion of the cemetery and clearly seen from any vantage point. Textured concrete blocks comprise the one-story, single bay, rectangularly massed structure as well the two-story squared towers at each corner. The original arched entryways located on the north and south elevations of the mausoleum were enclosed with concrete shortly after the completion of the structure. The only contemporary alteration to the mausoleum is the replacement of the deteriorating original stained-glass windows with glass block. Despite this change, the property retains an impressive amount of integrity.

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

______Narrative Description

Setting:

The boundary includes only the mausoleum, which stands within the Oxford West Cemetery. Founded in 1868, the cemetery features a variety of individual granite and marble markers from c. 1868 to the present , arranged in rows. Easily seen from SR 352, the Oxford Community Mausoleum is situated between two of the five drive ways into the cemetery from the main road that connect by the tree line at the southern border of the cemetery. These trees are some of the only plantings within the cemetery, allowing an unobstructed view of the mausoleum from any point.

Exterior:

A single, rectangular bay with squared towers at each of the four corners forms the overall plan of the building. A rough concrete foundation capped with a smooth, finished concrete band supports concrete block walls pointed with a grapevine masonry joint. These walls rise thirteen courses above the foundation on the west and east sides of the building. A smooth concrete cornice band tops the block walls and terminates in concrete bullnose trim. A green clay tile roof, gabled over the main bay, has two courses of blue glass tiles on either side of the ridge line. The four towers, topped by a hipped green clay tile roof, project slightly from the sides of the structure and rise an additional thirteen stone courses above the east and west walls.

The identical north and south parapeted end walls are bordered by the two slightly taller corner towers. These elevations are dominated by the large, double coursed round arch with projecting outer course and keystone, which spans the distance between towers. Originally, these entries were open, covered by still-extant wrought iron gates, but the Indiana Mausoleum Company saw the need to secure the structure shortly after the mausoleum was finished and ordered the design of a rolling door system as early as June of 1908. However, that system was never installed, and the arches were instead filled with concrete shortly after construction was completed. Standard- sized doors, contemporary with the concrete filling the arches, allow access to the structure. A pair of long rectangular windows with wide stone lintels and sills are centered in each tower. Originally, these were filled with stained glass, but were replaced with 3x6 spans of glass block when decorative glazing fell into disrepair. At the top of each tower just below the roofline is a circular ventilation opening, surrounded by concrete voussoirs. In the very center of the north and south elevations, a small parapet, two stones wide, sits atop the building with no other defining features.

Interior

When entering from the north side, light filtered through the blue glass tile of the roof draws the eye upward to the high curved ceiling and exposed glass tiles. The marble-faced concrete crypts

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State are aligned in four rows of twenty, each row recessed from the concrete and marble grid that shapes the crypts. The horizontal marble-faced concrete dividers project, creating a shallow shelf for each row of the crypts. Smaller vertical dividers distinguish the square crypt faces. Names and dates are engraved on each cover. Above the crypts, plaster-coated poured concrete forms a barrel vault above the space, rising to the height of the roof and leaving the blue glass tiles exposed. To the right of the north entry door is a small 5’x5’ room intended for storage. Upon entering this room, there is a wall of shelves on the south wall, a small restroom on the north wall, and just beyond the restroom is access to the glass block window.

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

______8. Statement of Significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)

x A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of x construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations (Mark “x” in all the boxes that apply.)

A. Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes

B. Removed from its original location

C. A birthplace or grave

x D. A cemetery

E. A reconstructed building, object, or structure

F. A commemorative property

G. Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions.) Social History Architecture ______

Period of Significance 1908-1939 ______

Significant Dates 1908 ______

Significant Person (last name, first name) (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.) ______

Cultural Affiliation ______

Architect/Builder (last name, first name) Hood, William Indiana Mausoleum Company ______

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

Period of Significance (justification)

The period of significance begins in 1908 (the date of construction) and ends in 1939, the end date to the context for public mausolea established in the MPDF ‘The Early Community Mausoleum Movement in Indiana.

Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary)

The Oxford Community Mausoleum meets consideration D because its significance derives from its association to a historical and cultural trend, not solely on its function alone.

Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.)

The Oxford Community Mausoleum is eligible for the National Register under criteria A and C, because it meets the registration requirements of the Early Community Mausoleum Movement in Indiana Multiple Property Documentation Form. It is significant at a statewide level as it is notably the earliest example of a community mausoleum constructed in Indiana, the only one constructed from concrete block, and is nearly identical to the original patented design that gave rise to the community mausoleum movement nationwide. Though criterion D is checked because the mausoleum is a place of burial and located in a cemetery, the mausoleum is significant for its relation to the social history of burials in Indiana. The period of significance begins in 1908, the year of the mausoleum’s construction, and end consideration in 1939.

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State ______Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.)

Social History

The community mausoleum movement was still in its naissance when Rev. Henry and Isabel Goodacre formed the Indiana Mausoleum Company in 1908.1 The movement began in Ohio with the patented design of the community mausoleum designed by William I. Hood, the founder of the National Mausoleum Company, later called the International Mausoleum Company.2 Henry and Isabel became early supporters of Hood and the community mausoleum movement.

The construction of Hood’s first mausoleum in 1907 was hugely successful and widely respected by surrounding communities. Within the year, several more community mausolea were planned and built throughout Ohio.3 This marked a democratization in the mausoleum style of burial, which had previously been limited to private family crypts or large urban areas. The success of the design was predicated on the public’s belief that mausolea were a more respectful means of burial. Crypts were believed to be easier to maintain and ultimately served as a shelter from the elements and potential vandals. They were more convenient for funeral practices for the living as well, with room set aside for mourners inside the structure, protecting them from weather during the service or visits to the deceased. The mausolea were also thought to be more durable monuments than other grave stones and building technology in the form of reinforced concrete made the construction of such vaults easy and lasting. Finally, the mausoleum’s engineered system of gaseous venting allowed bodies to desiccate and decay in a manner believed more sanitary by the public at the time, a major concern during a wave of public health movements and education.4

The National Mausoleum Company sold the patent rights of its design to newly formed subsidiaries. These fledgling corporations would sell a plot, or share, to locals who planned on being interred in the mausolea and use the funds for the construction and future maintenance of the crypts and structure.5 The Benton County Mausoleum Company, incorporated in 1908 by Henry Goodacre, Ralph Hammond, and D. S. Roberts, was founded with $10,000. The company constructed the mausoleum in Oxford, Indiana in 1908.6 The design of the building was nearly identical to the Hood’s patent design, and therefore to several mausolea in Ohio that had already been constructed.

After the mausoleum’s completion in 1908 and its first burial in 1910, Goodacre continued to operate the Indiana Mausoleum Company, which had been incorporated the same year as his company in Benton County. Along with his wife, Isabel, Goodacre constructed similar structures

1 Fred A. Sims, Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Indiana for the Fiscal Term Ending September 30, 1908, Indianapolis: William Buford, Contractor for State Printing and Binding, 1908, 110. 2 W. C. Jenkins, “Post Cineres Gloriam Venit,” National Magazine Volume XL April 1914-September 1914, 645. 3 National Register of Historic Places, Early Community Mausoleum Movement in Indiana, MPDF, National Register #: 2341 4 Jenkins, 644. 5 Early Community Mausoleum Movement 6 Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, IN, 7 March 1908, 2.

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State in towns across western Indiana. The Goodacres and Roberts are all interred in the Oxford Community Mausoleum.

Architecture

The Oxford Community Mausoleum is the earliest example in Indiana of the of the community mausoleum building type, developed in Ohio just short years before. Built in 1908, Oxford’s community mausoleum most closely reflects the original patented design. The mausoleum’s Romanesque Revival style characteristics include four corner towers, rock-faced masonry, and round arched entryways covered by the original, arched wrought iron gates. The fortress-like building’s gable clay tile roof features rows of blue glass tile shingles along the ridge line that illuminate the interior space.

The interior of the mausoleum was designed to be durable, convenient, and dignified. Thus, crypts and walls are constructed of concrete and faced with marble. The center aisle of the mausoleum allowed ample space for mourners and visitors to gather, and a small room in the northeast corner of the mausoleum allowed for a restroom and storage.

Registration Requirements

The Oxford Community Mausoleum meets the registration requirements of the Early Community Mausoleum Movement in Indiana Multiple Properties Documentation Form: it is a community mausoleum, and it retains all its key components. This particular structure was cited in the MPDF for its early date and patented design.

Developmental History/Additional historic context information

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State ______9. Major Bibliographical References

Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.)

______

Previous documentation on file (NPS):

____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested ____ previously listed in the National Register __ previously determined eligible by the National Register ____ designated a National Historic Landmark ____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #______recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # ______recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ______

Primary location of additional data: ____ State Historic Preservation Office ____ Other State agency ____ Federal agency ____ Local government ____ University ____ Other Name of repository: ______

Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): ______

______10. Geographical Data

Acreage of Property less than one acre

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

Use the UTM system

UTM References Datum (indicated on USGS map):

NAD 1927 or x NAD 1983

1. Zone: 16 Easting: 478086 Northing: 4485319

2. Zone: Easting: Northing:

3. Zone: Easting: Northing:

4. Zone: Easting : Northing:

Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.)

The boundary of the property is the footprint of the mausoleum, approximately 34 feet wide by 59 feet long, plus a margin of three feet on all four sides.

Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.)

The mausoleum alone is being placed on the National Register of Historic Places, therefore only the building is included in the boundary. The cemetery itself does not relate to the MPDF.

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

______11. Form Prepared By

name/title: Emily Royer organization: Indiana Landmarks street & number: 669 Ohio Street city or town: Terre Haute state: IN zip code:47803 e-mail: [email protected] telephone: 812-232-4534 date:

______

Additional Documentation

Submit the following items with the completed form:

• Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

• Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.

• Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.)

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

Photographs Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 3000x2000 at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph.

Photo Log

Name of Property: Oxford Community Mausoleum

City or Vicinity: Oxford

County: Benton State: Indiana

Photographer: Emily Royer

Date Photographed: 5/30/2018

Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of camera:

1 of 10

Date Photographed: 5/30/2018

Description: Looking southwest at Oxford Community Mausoleum

2 of 10

Date Photographed: 5/30/2018

Description: Looking south at Oxford Community Mausoleum

3 of 10

Date Photographed: 5/30/2018

Description: Looking southeast at Oxford Community Mausoleum

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State

4 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking north at Oxford Community Mausoleum

5 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking east at Oxford Community Mausoleum

6 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking slightly northwest at Oxford Community Mausoleum

7 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking west at Oxford Community Mausoleum

8 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking south at Oxford Community Mausoleum

9 of 10

Date Photographed: 8/29/2018

Description: Looking southeast at Oxford Community Mausoleum

10 of 10 Date Photographed: 5/30/2018

Description: Interior shot, looking south within Oxford Community Mausoleum

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.).

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Oxford Community Mausoleum Benton, IN Name of Property County and State Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

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Oxford Community Mausoleum Floor Plan

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Oxford Community Mausoleum, Benton County Photo #0001

Oxford Community Mausoleum, Benton County Photo #0003

Oxford Community Mausoleum, Benton County Photo #0004

Oxford Community Mausoleum, Benton County Photo #0010