The Beecher
Mausoleum was constructed in 1913 to house aboveground tombs for local
residents. It was built in the Classical Revival style of architecture,
typical of mausoleums constructed during the early part of the twentieth
century. It is a cement-reinforced building with a Bedford stone exterior
and white marble interior. The original stained glass windows have been
replaced with glass block.
The Beecher
Mausoleum project was initiated by Henry Theilman, a real estate investor
and vice-president of the German American Land Company, and Arthur Struve,
first president of the National Bank of Beecher. In 1912, they staged an
elaborate campaign of newspaper articles to sell spaces in the proposed
mausoleum. The builder agreed to start on the condition that 100 crypts be
sold prior to construction. By December 1913, the Beecher Mausoleum was
nearly complete with 210 crypts available to the Beecher community.
Currently, work is underway on the mausoleum to restore it to "a
building which for beauty, elegance, durability, strength and sacredness
of purpose will be unsurpassed anywhere."-Henry Theilman, 1912.
The Beecher
Mausoleum was designated a Will County Historic Landmark on March 19,
1999.
