Fraternal Organization Symbols
Forest Home Cemetery was founded in 1876; three years after German Waldheim Cemetery was established. Both cemeteries came about in part because the City of Chicago had ordered a ban on new cemeteries in 1869. Waldheim was established by a group of German fraternal lodges, who started their own cemetery because Concordia Cemetery would not allow lodge insignias to be displayed on cemetery markers. These same lodges purchased Forest Home as a non-sectarian burial ground.
Why did people get buried with this symbol
Why did people get buried with this symbol
Free Masons

The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,

Woodmen of the World

International Order of Odd Fellows

International Order of Odd Fellows has its has large monument in Forest Home Cemetery. More information and photographs about IOOF is available here.