In 1991 The Grotto and Rodriguez's other works in the park were added to the National Historic Register. If one looks closely you can even see the faces of children in the base of the fountain in The Pool of Hebron. The Pool of Hebron and Abrahams Oak invite visitors to explore the area and find the hidden faces, figures, and resting places the artist included in the naturalistic concrete to entertain visitors. The Cave of Machpelah to the left of the Grotto is a depiction of the 1st tomb mentioned in The Bible, Genesis 23, as Abraham and Sarah's resting place. All the features around and in the grotto depict events and places out of the Old and New Testaments. The niche art displays were not completed until the 1980's when the last of the 10 niches were filled with art work depicting events in the life of Christ. Worked continued on and off until it was completed in 1955 just after Rodriguez's death. The crystals were collected from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. The cave is comprised of almost 5 tons of natural crystals hand placed onto the cave walls and ceiling. He was extremely secretive about his methods and was sought after as a master of this art at the time and made a good living for himself even during the depression. Meticulously texturing and coloring surfaces to mimic natural materials like wood and stone. Rodriguez worked in faux bois style of concrete. In 1938 a cave was dug into the hillside at the center of the park and work began on The Crystal Shrine Grotto. He decided to develop the park in this new style and in 1935 commissioned Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez to construct the main features of the park. The park was intended to be not merely a burial place, it was a place for memories to reside. This new style known as "The Cemetery Beautiful" provided for cemeteries filled with nature, open spaces, art, pools, fountains, and well-kept plantings. These cemeteries were a departure from the historical burial yards of the 1800's, which were dark and depressing places full of headstones and reminders of death. He became aware of a movement at the time to develop "park like" and memorial cemeteries. ![]() He was a wealthy businessman from nearby Mississippi who had recently sold his insurance business. Memorial Park itself was founded in 1924 by E. Those who enter the confines of the 60 foot deep man made cave don't just see the dark beauty of the cave and its eclectic artwork they can feel its magical presence all around them. It serves as the beating heart of the park and reminds those who visit that death is not the end. The Crystal Shrine Grotto is located in the center of Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental.Crowne Plaza Venice East - Quarto D'Altino, an IHG Hotel.DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London - Marble Arch.Homewood Suites by Hilton San Diego Airport-Liberty Station.Hampton by Hilton Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach.Hotels near Southwest Tennessee Community College.Hotels near Southern College of Optometry.Hotels near Baptist College of Health Sciences.Hotels near William Moore College of Technology Memphis, TN.Hotels near University of Tennessee Health Science Center.Hotels near Tennessee Technology Center Memphis. ![]()
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