 Collins Mausoleum - Mt Mora Cemetery - St. Joseph, Missouri
Posted by: iconions
N 39° 46.531 W 094° 50.471
15S E 342318 N 4404463
This Mausoleum is located in the historic Mt Mora Cemetery - 824 Mt. Mora Road in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Waymark Code: WMDD38
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/27/2011
Views: 1
1907
Architect/Builder: E.J. Eckel
The Collins mausoleum is in a richly detailed Classical Revival style. Like the McCord or Townsend mausoleums (albeit a different style), the structure was meant to evoke a romanticized temple form rather than simply a pastiche of decorative stylistic elements.
This remarkable structure sits prominently at the ridgeline crest of the rolling hillside, isolated in an island formed by the intersection of three of the roadways that wind through the cemetery. The whole of the oddly shaped piece of ground is ringed with a low curbing of dressed stone. Before the entry are a series of low squared parapet steps leading to a low curving landing at whose flanks are pedestals on which rest footed torcheres. Increasingly narrower curved steps lead to the porch stoop.
Certainly the most prominent feature is the large centered dome that rests on an eight-sided base, itself resting on the square shape of the main block. The whole of the structure, including the dome, is constructed of dolomite limestone, smooth-dressed throughout. The complex dome rests on a series of stone steps or courses, each with a heavily molded face. The polygonal dome base has a pronounced molded cornice.
From the center square block on which the dome rests projects pavilions at all four elevations that create a cruciform shape, a common motif in Renaissance Classical Revival churches. Another feature from the same inspirational source is the prominent gabled entry pavilion. The deeply molded cornice surrounds the plain tympanum on which the date "1907" is incised. Below the cornice, the entablature becomes a complex mass of linear banding and empanelling incised or raised from the stonework. At the outside corners of the porch, pilasters rise to molded cornices resting atop simple bases. To the inside of these are slightly recessed freestanding fluted Doric columns with finely molded capitals. The architrave features a derivative Doric frieze pattern with a modified Doric triglyph with the traditional guttae, but with a paneled metope rather than the bands with the true Doric style. The column bases are derived from the Ionic order, typical of the mixing of orders and styles found in the Classical Revival tradition over the centuries. On the three remaining elevations there are broad projecting pavilions, each treated in an identical manner with two flat roof slabs stepped back from the pronounced heavily molded cornice that is continuous around the structure. A plain frieze rests on top of a molded architrave that, in turn, is supported by pilasters, whose plain block bases are on top of a projected stepped base course. Beneath the architrave and between the columns on each face are three evenly spaced windows, each with a lattice of bars (often called a clathri in classical architecture). These deeply recessed window openings have leaded and stained glass of a uniform amber color. Below the windows, the face of each pavilion is of coursed ashlar-pattern stonework.
The paired bronze doors and grilles are within a molded jamb utilizing Doric motifs. The heavy outer grille doors are empanelled with an interlocking Greek key openwork pattern. The massive bronze Missouri doors have rather common bronze pulls with a triple panel face defined with an egg and dart patterned molding. The interior is truly remarkably and is even more finely decorated than the McCord mausoleum. The ceiling of the dome is a fine tessellated mosaic of colored glass set with a Byzantine and highly stylized centered panel at the apex. The dome rests on the square shape of the structure with deep recesses on each elevation. White marble paneling that is used throughout the structure to the floor supports the finely molded marble cornice. Below the windows a stringcourse of heavily molded marble with strong color veins creates an intentional contrast with the plain marble paneling. To the left and right of the entry in each of the side niches is an integral sarcophagus with brass plates. Interestingly, the mausoleum was clearly designed to hold these two sarcophagi and no other, as there is no provision for additional interment. Each fill the side niche and extends into the square space of the main structure with heavily molded banding on the white marble stone. The floor is of variegated colored marble laid in a diamond pattern.
Unfortunately, the complexity of the roof structure has created problems. Lack of maintenance has led to the opening of joints in the stonework of the dome. Moisture has infiltrated, causing damage to the mosaic work of the dome, and has worked down the walls to loosen and damage some of the marble facing as well.
- National Register Application
Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Mount Mora Cemetery
 Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link]
 NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): [Web Link]
 Address: 824 Mt. Mora Rd.
St. Joseph, Missouri 64501
 How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below)
 Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link]

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