Directions!

If facing William Le Baron Jenny’s grave, follow the paved path to your right until you come to the fork in about 40 feet. Take it to the left, following it for about a minute until you find a prairie path on the right.

Perhaps by now you’ve caught the steady rumble of the L train up above the Eastern wall. If not, you surely will soon. That’s the elevated Red & Purple Line tracks. These tracks of the Chicago Transit Authority take you down to the far south side neighborhood of Roseland. The ‘L’ system, short for elevated, began its first rapid transit rides in 1892 before the World’s Columbian Exposition. As we’ve learned, Graceland was once a rural cemetery and the train was once the best way to transport here.

In 2005, the Chicago Tribune voted the ‘L’ as one of the ‘7 Wonders of Chicago.’ Today it is the third busiest rapid transit system in the U.S. The bodies, I’m sure, are very used to the constant rumbles from the ‘L.’

Did you know Graceland cemetery is also a certified arboretum? There are over 2,000 trees around you and many of them have small identification signs and QR codes to scan. It’s a good place to be if you’re a tree lover.

When you are coming up on the prairie path entrance, take a right and step into it.

Photo by Mitchell J. Ward, 2021.