Exploring the Arboretum
At the historic Hotchkiss Chapel, you’ll find beautifully
redesigned garden beds that blend formal structure with seasonal interest. The
space is anchored by columnar magnolias named ‘Bellefontaine Blush’ (pictured
here), chosen for their upright form and elegant, rose-colored spring blooms.
The chapel is named after Almerin Hotchkiss, the landscape architect who
designed Bellefontaine’s original layout and served as its first
superintendent. This area reflects both the historic legacy of the Cemetery and
ever evolving beauty of the Arboretum.
Significant Figures
Map Reference: Stop 10,
Letter Z
Hotchkiss Chapel
1909, 2009 | Architecture
In the spring of 1908, the Board of Bellefontaine approved a new Receiving Tomb and Chapel to be constructed. Completed in 1909, the original functions of the structure were used until a 2009 remodel, which turned the rear (receiving tomb) into more usable space as a Columbarium. Recent activities have improved the structure’s drainage, flooring, and plaza, making this structure ready for the next era of use.
Funded by a grant from the State of Missouri, Hotchkiss
Chapel is now prepared for the next era. Efforts were made to stabilize
watershed and ensure this 1909 structure will be available for many future
generations of St. Louisans to utilize to remember, memorialize, and celebrate
the lives that have been entrusted to Bellefontaine.
Historic Photo 
Pre-renovation
Pre-renovation
Pre-renovation
Post-renovation
Post-renovation