James Stephen Hoover and Elizabeth Borland Memorial Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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James Stephen Hoover and Elizabeth Borland Memorial Chapel
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| Location | Buffington Dr. Eau Claire, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | John Tilton |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001662 |
| Added to NRHP | January 7, 2000 |
The James Stephen Hoover and Elizabeth Borland Memorial Chapel is a special building in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the year 2000. This means it's an important historical place because of its unique design.
Contents
Discovering the Chapel's Design
The Hoover-Borland Chapel is a funeral chapel found in Lakeview Cemetery. It sits on a hill overlooking Half Moon Lake. The chapel is built in a style called Neo-Gothic Revival.
What Does the Chapel Look Like?
The outside of the chapel is covered with stone blocks that fit together like a puzzle. It also has smooth, light-colored Bedford limestone details. The main entrance has a pointed arch door. Above this door, there is a beautiful round window called a rose window.
Each side of the chapel has four stone supports called buttresses. These help hold up the walls. There are also tall, pointed-arch windows. The roof is covered with ceramic tiles. A small metal spire, topped with a Latin cross, rises from the very top of the roof.
Exploring the Inside of the Chapel
Inside the chapel, you will find simple wooden benches, known as pews. There is also a concrete altar with a silver cross. The walls inside are smooth and plastered.
The roof is held up by strong wooden beams called King-post trusses. You can also see the exposed wooden rafters and purlins. These are all part of the roof's structure. Christian symbols are painted on the wooden trusses, adding to the chapel's peaceful feel.
The History of Lakeview Cemetery
Lakeview Cemetery was started in 1867 by the community of West Eau Claire. It was the second official cemetery in Eau Claire. The first was Forest Hill, which began in 1862. However, people had been buried on the bluff where Lakeview is now as early as 1858.
How the Cemetery Grew
After Lakeview Cemetery was established, a local businessman named Byron Buffington helped it grow. He was an important leader in the community. Byron donated 15 acres of land to the cemetery. He did this to honor his parents, George and Pluma Buffington.
George Buffington was also a successful businessman. He ran a hotel called the Niagara House. He also owned part of the Valley Lumber Company. George even served as the mayor of Eau Claire and started the Eau Claire Street Railroad Company.
Who Built the Chapel?
Frances "Fannie" Hoover married Byron Buffington in 1874. Her father, James Hoover, was a butcher in Eau Claire for many years, from 1866 to 1898. Elizabeth Borland was Fannie's mother.
Around 1936, Fannie donated the Hoover-Borland chapel to the cemetery. She did this to honor her parents, James Hoover and Elizabeth Borland.
The chapel was designed by an architect named John Tilton from Chicago. He created the simplified Gothic Revival style. Local builders, Hoeppner and Bartlett, constructed the chapel in 1936. The cost to build it was $25,000.
What Was the Chapel Used For?
The chapel had two main purposes when it was built. The basement contains 42 special rooms called receiving vaults. These vaults were used to store bodies during the winter months. This was important because the ground would freeze, making it impossible to dig graves until spring.
The upper part of the chapel is used for burial services. These are ceremonies held to remember and honor people who have passed away.
See also
- Jane E. Putnam Memorial Chapel: Eau Claire
- Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel: La Crosse
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin
