Cemeteries: First former mine in the US to be turned into an underground cemetery (catacomb) and to...

...have the dead from an entire above-ground cemetery (with at least a 1,000 burials) relocated into it.  [Above-ground cemeteries are a waste of land and exposes their tombstones to weather (which especially erodes away the marble ones to be eventually unreadable slabs of stone), being overgrown with moss (and thus unreadable), and vandalism.  This challenge’s primary goal is to relocate those cemeteries underground so the land can be productively used by the living.

Expect catacombs to become major tourist attractions for their communities.  Nowadays, one cemetery is like all the rest: an open field with lines of tombstones.  But a catacomb can be a work of art.  Unique.  Magnificent.  Awe-inspiring.  Jaw-dropping.  Architects can make their name by designing them.  Catacombs can be the life work of architects, artists (ceiling murals), and sculptors.  Additionally, because a catacomb’s entrance can be locked at night and its passages can be monitored by security cameras, there won’t be any vandalism of the tombstones within.  Because the tombstones are safe from vandals, families will add photographs and obituaries to their ancestor's tombstones.  Some might even have “The Life of…” videos of the deceased, which people can watch at the press of a button.  Others might have life-size statues of the deceased stand vigil next to their graves.]

Future Challenges:

1) First US catacomb to allow families to have their own off-shoot tunnels.  Each family extends its tunnel as the number of its deceased increases.

2) First US city to mandate all its above-ground cemeteries be moved to local catacombs.

3) First major US city (population of a million or more) to mandate all of its above-ground cemeteries be moved to local catacombs.

4) First US state to mandate all of its above-ground cemeteries be moved to catacombs in its state.

5) First major US state (population of 9 million or more) to mandate all of its above-ground cemeteries be moved to catacombs in its state.

6) First nation to mandate all of its above-ground cemeteries be moved to catacombs.

7) First architect to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize for a new catacomb.

8) Arlington Cemetery relocated to a catacomb.  [Which is what is being portrayed in the illustration at the top of this page.  This will likely become known as the National Catacomb and the families of deceased soldiers will embrace it once they realize they can make their tombstones contain more than just the little that is currently written on them.  The catacomb's lobby could have a super-high ceiling and contain the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its honor guard.  The echoing of their precision march and the slapping that occurs during the rifle inspection adding another dramatic touch to their performance.  To make the honor guard's steps more impressive, visitors should be prohibited from wearing metal heel taps on their shoes so only the heel taps of the honor guard echo throughout the polished stone catacomb.  And to play up this echo effect, the honor guard should start their march to the tomb from as deep in the catacomb as possible so their echoing march rings throughout the catacomb as they slowly get nearer and nearer the tomb.  Beyond the tomb's atrium and leading into the catacomb itself, the grave of John F. Kennedy and its eternal flame could be a significant and dramatic point of inner entry for visitors.  The honor guard pausing at the eternal flame to salute the fallen President before marching onto the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.]

9) First TV documentary to document the design and conversion of an old US mine to a catacomb.

10) First reality TV show that focuses on an architectural firm that designs the conversion of old mines around the world into catacombs and then shows the construction company(ies) doing the actual physical work.  [This program would likely show a number of catacombs in various stages of development.  From architects visiting a "new" old mine that is under consideration for conversion into a catacomb ... to the architects doing the blueprints and architectural perspectives ... to the architects presenting to and getting approval of their designs by the local government or private company that owns the old mine ... to the construction crews doing the heavy construction work of the conversion ... to artists doing murals on the ceilings of new catacombs and sculptors sculpting the walls into art ... to the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the catacomb ... to the moving of the coffins from an above-ground cemetery to the new catacomb ... to the first funeral to entomb a newly deceased into the catacomb.]

11) First documentary to chronicle the life of a ceiling mural artist who now only does ceiling murals for a single catacomb and is the only one allowed to do ceiling murals for that catacomb.  The artist can still be alive when the documentary is being done.  The documentary must include a reception party for when the artist reveals her/his latest ceiling mural to the public.  [Needless to say, this documentary and the one for the following Future Challenge #12 will greatly increase the amount of tourists that visit their catacombs.  Because of this, expect these catacombs to charge admissions for those who do not have a relative entombed in the catacomb and most of that money going to the artist (and/or, as for FC #12, sculptor) to keep them working and improving the catacomb.]

12) First documentary to chronicle the life of a stone sculptor who now only does stone sculptures for a single catacomb and is the only one allowed to do stone sculptures and sculpturing of the stone walls for that catacomb.  The sculptor can still be alive when the documentary is being done.  The documentary must include a reception party for when the sculptor reveals to the public her/his latest sculpturing of a massive wall in the catacomb.

Discussion:
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