Decades of Experience and Personal Service
Black Hawk Memorial Company has been in business locally since 1946. We have a firm commitment to the community and our neighbors that live here.
We invite you to visit our indoor and outdoor showroom, with impressive, personalized memorials of all kinds. Whether your need for a memorial is immediate or if you are planning in advance, our professionally trained staff takes the mystery out of memorializing a loved one. We will assist you in the process to ensure that taste and decorum are always at the forefront of the decision making process.
With over five decades of experience, Black Hawk Memorial Company will also help you find answers to questions beyond the design of the memorial you choose, such as:
- Does the cemetery allow monuments?
- Does the cemetery restrict monuments to certain sections?
- Does the cemetery require you to purchase a specific number of grave spaces in order to place a monument?
- Does the cemetery have any restrictions as to the size of monument it will allow?
- Does the cemetery have any rules or regulations governing installation of the monument?
- Does the cemetery tell you that installation costs are part of the lot price, or that you must buy your memorial from them?
Selecting a Memorial
Why We Choose To Memorialize
The desire to memorialize is as old as mankind. Monuments are among the most ancient records of man’s presence on earth—still visible, still proclaiming honor and respect.
We all want to remember and be remembered. When you place a memorial for someone, you are making a statement for everyone to see, through all eternity. You are saying this person was special, this person was worth remembering, and someone loved this person enough to mark his or her life forever.
Designing A Lasting Tribute
Now that you’ve decided to create a memorial for your loved one, the process is very logical. The professionals at Black Hawk Memorial Company will guide you through the procedure, every step of the way.
As with any important purchase—and particularly one that will last for perpetuity—where you purchase your memorial matters significantly. You’ll want to talk with someone you trust, someone who has been in the business in your area for a long time. You’ll want to find someone with the technical skill to create exactly the kind of memorial you want, who can offer you a wide variety of styles, colors and finishes. Black Hawk Memorial Company will work with you to translate your feelings into a personalized design of meaning and beauty.
Prices of memorials vary from modest to substantial. Factored into the cost of the memorial will be your selection of material, the size and intricacies of ornamentation and design, and the installation service performed at the place of rest.
Only you know what is appropriate for you and your family to spend on this timeless investment. Black Hawk Memorial Company will be happy to discuss cost with you and explain our options for payment.
Materials
Granite
Granite is the most often used material for cemetery memorials for two reasons: it can be shaped and carved beautifully, and it will last virtually forever. Granite comes in a variety of colors: grays, blacks, reds, pinks, browns, blues and greens.
Bronze
Bronze is called “the eternal metal.” It can be used for flat markers, statuary, and as ornamentation in combination with granite.
Marble
Another popular material for memorials is marble. Marble is well known for its beauty and is very popular in many parts of the United States and abroad.
Types of Memorials
Horizontal Tablet
Horizontal tablets are wider than they are high, and are usually set on a base. Added features may include side panels called “wings.” Urns or vases on one or both sides are often used in the design, as well.
Vertical Tablet
The vertical tablet is tall, as the name implies, and may be set on a base or directly set on a foundation. When set directly on a foundation, it is called a monolith.
Both horizontal and vertical tablets present ample space for inscriptions, carvings and other ornamentation.
Bevel Markers
Bevel markers are above ground level but are low in height. They come in individual or companion sizes, and can be personalized with symbols and inscriptions.
Slant Markers
Slant markers are midway in height between the lower bevel markers and the larger upright monuments (the horizontal and vertical tablets). They offer sufficient space for highly creative personalized design.
Flat Markers
Flat markers lie level with the ground. Their small size naturally restricts the decoration, although a skilled memorialist can personalize even a flat marker.
Ledgers
Ledgers are memorials that cover the entire grave. Although they are low to the ground, their size allows for extensive decoration and long inscriptions.
Garden Memorials
Garden memorials range from benches to birdbaths to sundials. They are specially designed decorative pieces similar to those often found in large gardens. They may be used alone or with another upright monument.
Crosses
Crosses are widely used as freestanding pieces. Crosses have their own styles, the most popular being the familiar Latin cross and the highly decorated Celtic cross. Other symbols are also available, as well, including the Star of David and many more.
Ask your Black Hawk Memorial Company representative about the features of each type of memorial. They will be happy to take all the time you need to reach a decision that will be fitting for you and your loved ones.
Personalization
Modern technology now allows the memorialist to create personalized, unique memorials through the use of shape, texture, image and inscriptions. Techniques such as sandblasting, shape carving, laser and hand etching now allow intricate scenes and portraits to be placed directly on the stone.
Shape
Modern stonecraft technology now enables a monument to be designed in literally any shape you can envision. Whether it is freeform, entwined hearts, or a special object, your choices in shape are virtually limitless.
Image
One of the more popular means of personalizing a memorial is through the use of images. Today’s memorialist has numerous methods and tools at hand to incorporate the image you desire within the design of a memorial. Images can be produced directly in the stone by chiseling, sandblasting, laser and hand etching, or reproduced in ceramic and other materials. A variety of images such as landscapes, scenes, floral and religious ornamentation and even portraits can be produced.
Inscription
Modern technology has also made inscriptions or epitaphs easier to add to a monument. Even signatures can be exactly produced. Inscriptions can be song lyrics, famous poems, or something written by the person being memorialized or for them by a loved one. Black Hawk Memorial Company provides a nearly limitless variety of designs and type styles that can be incorporated into this lasting tribute.
Additions
A wide variety of products are available to be added to a monument, as well. Such items as vases, lighting and photographs can be used in conjunction with a monument.
Remember: Monument designs can be classic or contemporary. Black Hawk Memorial Company will guide you, as much or as little as you need, to make a choice that is fitting for the eternal remembrance of your loved one.