Eerie Missouri

Our world is in a constant state of change. Clothing. Architecture. Transportation. Language. Technology. Home life. Only one thing has remained constant throughout history: death.

The Mourning Society of St. Louis uses that constant to build a bridge to the past.

“Death is often misunderstood, but I think it’s very relatable because it’s a universal experience, losing someone we love,” said Kat Kozemczak, a member of the Mourning Society of St. Louis. “It makes the past relatable.”

While the civilian reenactment group began gathering informally in 2005, it became more formal in October 2015, when those with a shared love of history gathered at St. Louis’ historic Bellefontaine Cemetery for what soon became an annual event.

While other fall cemetery tours explored the history of those buried at Bellefontaine, the Mourning Society’s Consolations of Memory honored those who were left behind to grieve. This year’s public event, which will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 10, includes a short walking tour of the cemetery’s Victorian sections and a reenactment of a 19^th century burial service.

The group now regularly partners with local parks, libraries and museums to offer educational programming related to mourning, death culture, spiritualism and the funeral customs of the mid-nineteenth century through the early twentieth century.

The Mourning Society has events throughout the year, including an annual picnic at Bellefontaine Cemetery in September, but not surprisingly, October is a particularly busy month. In addition to the Consolations of Memory event, the society hosts Twilight Tours at the Campbell House Museum the Friday before Halloween. Guests at the event can view a wake reenactment in the house, which is dimmed to gaslight levels and draped for mourning.

“It answers the question, ‘What happened when someone died at home?’” Kozemczak said. “Of course, that was common back then.”

This year’s Twilight Tours event will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Campbell House, a National Register-listed historic home originally constructed in the 1880s. Tickets are $25.

Kozemczak hopes the programs help educate guests and dispel common myths about mourning rituals. At the top of the list of myths surrounding mourning traditions and attire is the belief that the rituals were required, particularly for women. In reality, the traditions were voluntary and simply served as an unspoken message that a person was grieving.

“We’re lacking that now,” Kozemczak said. “We don’t know when someone is going through something. But back then, they knew — this person is going through something.”

Kozemczak estimates the group’s current active membership is around 20 members. While there are no dues, members are required to wear authentic historical clothing to events, which can be cost-prohibitive. Kozemczak recommends those who are interested in joining connect with the society in advance for tips on purchasing period clothing pieces and accessories.

Nonmembers are welcome at events like Twilight Tours at The Campbell House and gatherings at Bellefontaine Cemetery. While nonmembers can dress for the occasion, contemporary street clothes are perfectly acceptable, too.

Kozemczak hopes that all those who attend or participate in the Mourning Society’s events learn something new about the past and find connection to those who have traveled difficult roads before them.

“When you’re looking at the history of mourning, you can see all the people before you had that experience and moved on and had a life,” Kozemczak said. “It is possible.”

Visit the Mourning Society of St. Louis website for more information about the organization and upcoming events.

EDITOR’S NOTE: All photos by Curt Dennison, courtesy Mourning Society of St. Louis.

Kathryn Deters McDonald is a Missouri native, writer, author and lover of all things spooky, ooky and eerie. Salem, Shmalem. It’s all right here in The Spook-Me State.