Diary of a Cemetery CEO: Dog Days of Summer

Time flies. This Labor Day will mark nine years since I started working at Historic Oakland Foundation, and in addition to marveling at the dramatic changes to the organization that have occurred in that time, I am still in awe of the ways that Oakland continues to surprise and delight me every day.

While spending time with a supporter last week, we paused on the northside of the Cemetery behind the Richards’ Mausoleum, and I glimpsed the most amazing view of the city skyline framed against the cemetery that I’d never seen before. It never ceases to amaze me that this old place continues to offer new experiences and moments of jaw-dropping awe.

As we continue to celebrate Historic Oakland Foundation’s 50th Anniversary this year, it’s especially fun to look back on some photos of Oakland in the 1970s and 1980s, before the Foundation’s preservation work really began to take hold, and think about all of the improvements and changes over the last fifty years and the significant impact the Foundation has had. It’s also got us feeling inspired to think about the next fifty years: how do we serve our visitors in new and different ways? How do we improve the experience for all of the different folk who come to visit the Cemetery throughout the year? How do we speed up our preservation and restoration work?

This Fall, in addition to the many events and activities that adorn the calendar, we’ll also be completing the installation and construction of columbarium at Oakland. We’ve been working on this project for the last couple of years, and as the first publicly accessible space to inurn a loved one at Oakland offered in over one hundred years, it’s been truly humbling to provide a new/old service to the Oakland community.

Something I’m excited about: Fall is coming! I hope sooner rather than later. I’m fully over how hot it is. In addition to the cooler weather and the return of football season (both American and regular!), Oakland comes to life after Labor Day and with the addition of our Golden Jubilee picnic this September to celebrate HOF’s 50th Anniversary in addition to Sunday in the Park, Pumpkin Patch, Capturing the Spirit of Oakland, and Dia de Muertos Festival, it’s going to be a great few months out here.

Something I’ll be buying more of: The Auburn Avenue Honey that we’re now selling in the Oakland Store. In addition to supporting Oakland (of course!) this honey is made down the road by bees on Auburn Avenue through the work of HDDC - hopefully it helps my allergies too. The historic and contemporary connections here are so cool, and the honey is brilliantly tasty, too. I used it to make these honey roasted carrots this weekend and was blown away

Something I’m reading: While I’m glad that we’re approaching the end of summer’s heat, one of my favorite events of the summer is now behind us: the Tour de France. Every year I’m in awe of the stamina, perseverance, and grit and determination of the riders through that hellacious three-week race, it’s staggering. I just finished Le Fric: Family, Power and Money: The Business of the Tour de France by Alex Duffy. Understanding how the race has developed as a commercial enterprise as well as an act of cultural preservation amidst the history of post-World War II French national culture and identity has really made me (re-)think about the balance of the past, present, and future.

Something I’m marvelling at: Being part of a larger Atlanta parks and greenspace ecosystem is deeply rewarding. Seeing the amazing hard work and accomplishments of friends and colleagues around the city who share the goal of enhancing Atlanta’s greenspaces—and that we all get to enjoy—is really special. Last weekend, I braved the heat (ugh) at the Summer Shade in Grant Park. Seeing the amazing work done by the Grant Park Conservancy and their amazing Executive Director Michelle Blackmon was so fun. GPC is doing an amazing job caring for—and improving—Grant Park, and if you have kids and haven’t checked out their new playground yet, then take this as your reminder to get over there!