The Fernwood Mausoleum is more than just the story of a dilapidated building. It’s a sad result for those who thought that they would spend eternity inside the enclosure located in the Greene County town of Roodhouse.
But the future for the nearly 100 bodies still housed at the mausoleum remains uncertain, nearly a century after it was built. Costly repairs are needed. Ray Coons, with the Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association, is among those volunteers working to save the site.
He spoke with WUIS’ Sean Crawford about the effort and how the structure got to the point it is today:
Read about this and other mausoleums in trouble and how to help the causes.