Piece of 1939 New York World Fair history at Locustwood
History Preserved in Locustwood Doric Columns As you enter historic Locustwood Memorial Park in Cherry Hill, you pass by one of the most iconic landmarks in the Southern New Jersey area. Four stately Doric columns soar twenty-five feet high at the corner entrance, surrounded by lush evergreens and seasonal flowers. A prominent blue-toned pool fountain placed as you come into the main boulevard entrance of the cemetery also enhances your welcome. The origins of the columns have been a mystery for some time, with only rumors of who had placed them there and from where they might have come. The story begins when the previous owner of Locustwood, Aaron Heine, was visiting a relative in New York. At that time, the 1939 World’s Fair grounds were being demolished. Pieces of buildings and equipment were being sold off and Mr. Heine saw the tan-hued granite columns and fell in love with them. He liked them so much that he bought them and had them shipped to the cemetery with only an idea of how he would use them. He hired a prominent local master stonemason to build the pedestal base foundation and the fountain that precedes it. The columns were carefully erected and remain steadfast to this day. The mason also was noted for doing the memorable stonework on the famous Rickshaw Inn, across from the legendary Garden State Racetrack. The popular Latin Casino was also located only a short distance away. At that time, this part of Cherry Hill was the Atlantic City of its day. But as time went by, people came and left Locustwood Memorial Park and only a few knew the truth that had been forgotten. Stonemor Partners took over operation of Locustwood in the mid 1990’s. When, in 2011, new associates came into the Sales & Administration departments and the origins of the columns were questioned, the Internet was abuzz with their inquiries. After months of searching through photos and records online and in the basement of the office, a photo was finally found. There, in the elusive photo, were the four unique columns supporting the Ohio Building in the Court of States Government Zone at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The Ohio building housed the elaborate display “The Birthplace of Presidents”, and was a popular educational exhibit at the Fair. The 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair covered 1,216 acres of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City and was the second largest American World’s Fair of all time. A total of 44 million people toured it in its two seasons. This fair was the first to be based on the future and its prospects, and it used the opening slogan and theme “Dawn of a New Day.” Aaron Heine saw the same prospect of changing the look of his beautiful 1903 cemetery and incorporating it into the stylish fashion of the entertaining mecca that was the surrounding Cherry Hill area. To this day, people with heavy hearts enter under the shadows of the stolid columns into the grounds of this “Cemetery Beautiful.” Our mission is to help them in seeing the same “Dawn of a New Day.”
