By Tammy Thornton
Sometimes you walk or drive by the same “familiar” area as part of your routine and never realize that history is sleeping right around the corner. Tucked away behind a quiet street off of Shore Road in Linwood lies Clara Glen Pet Cemetery, founded in 1920 by Clara and Glen White. Though the cemetery has been around for over 100 years, when questioned, not many people know about Clara Glen’s history. Andrea Reynolds, a resident of Linwood for over 19 years, only recently heard about the cemetery and occasionally visits it.
Glen White, an animal lover, was head of the Atlantic County SPCA for about 15 years. The Whites used the 2-½ acre area behind their house to inter their deceased animals, and soon their neighbors used the space as well. In time, the cemetery became the resting place for famous animals as well as the pets of celebrities. Known as an expert cabinet maker, Mr. White used his skills to make caskets for the beloved pets from pine and mahogany, while Mrs. White lined them with silk, satin, and hand decorated pillows.
Reportedly, the cemetery became the final resting place for horses, dogs, cats, monkeys, guinea pigs, a pony, a peacock, parrots, canaries, and goats. In the 1940’s, Alex and Agnes Miller took over the operation of the cemetery. Mrs. Miller kept meticulous records of each burial, and carried on the elaborate process (including embalming the animals) started by the White family. Though the rich and famous buried their animals at Clara Glen, often marking their graves with expensive granite and marble headstones, Mrs. Miller also buried pets of those who could not afford such costly burials and would cast her own engraved, concrete grave markers. Mrs. Miller’s son, Sergio, would help keep the grounds neat and as he got older would help dig the graves. However, her son recently passed.
Among the more famous animals with a well-marked grave is “Rex the Wonder Dog”. He was loved by visitors to the Steel Pier in the 1930s and 1940s and performed by “waterskiing” on an aquaplane, often accompanied by Arnette Webster French, who was also known as one of the diving horse riders. Though it is rumored that one of the diving horses from the Steel Pier was also buried at Clara Glen, no one has been able to find the grave marker. Pets of the rich and famous have found their final resting place at Clara Glen, like the pets of American composer and lyricist, Irving Berlin; financier, J. Pierpont Morgan; and film actress, Paulette Goddard. You may not recognize the name Billie Burke, but this actress, best known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz, also has pets resting at Clara Glen.
Burial records before the Millers are hard to find and many of the headstones have been vandalized or have sunken into the ground. But the Linwood Historical Society, which took ownership of the cemetery after the Miller family, has many newspaper articles dating from the 1930s to present, giving us a glimpse into the cemetery’s history. Famed American writer, Gay Talese (now 90 years old), grew up in Ocean City and began his journalism career writing for local papers. Clara Glen caught his attention as well, and he wrote about the cemetery as having dogs buried from “all parts of the United States and France, Canada and Czechoslovakia.” After visiting Clara Glen, Talese said, “It is doubtful if there is a more beautiful pet cemetery anywhere.” Talese tells of the beloved pets receiving funerals similar to human beings with vaults especially made for the animals by then funeral director Lawrence Wimberg, of Egg Harbor City. (Wimberg Funeral Home is now in its fifth generation.) An earlier article found at the Linwood Historical Society refers to the largest plot found at the cemetery and claims that 18 pets of a Canadian General Ralston were sent from Canada for burial. Three tombstones dated 1927-1936 with the names of Ralston pets are found in this large enclosure.
According to records kept by Agnes Miller, approximately 3,800 animals are buried at the cemetery. No new animals have been buried there since the mid 1980s or early 1990s with the exception of K-9 police dogs. Care for the grounds of the cemetery is now in the hands of the City of Linwood. Located at 2147 Shore Road, this Hidden Gem of South Jersey is open to the public and, as one of the oldest pet cemeteries in the country, gives a unique look back into the history of South Jersey. Special thanks to the Linwood Historical Society for their contribution of time, references, and pictures.
This feature was updated from its previous publication in the May of 2021 issue of Shore Local.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
