Cathedral of the Pines

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A black, white, and light blue header image with the words Cathedral of the Pines

Back in October 2022, I visited Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, NH, a non-denominational memorial including a bell tower, gardens, trails, and a small museum. The space is dedicated in memory of Lt. Sanderson “Sandy” Sloane and other members of the United States military who died in war, especially World War II. Free and open to the public, this organization provides a comprehensive educational and historical experience, allowing visitors to learn more about a man and his family within the context of a global crisis while providing a place for veterans and military families to process personal trauma.

Women’s Memorial Bell Tower at Cathedral of the Pines; a stone, three-story Gothic Revival tower surrounded by decorative plants. Hilltop House at Cathedral of the Pines; a stone, one-story building with a row of small windows and a stone chimney. The bell tower is visible behind the house.

Back in 1937, before the United States entered World War II, the wealthy Sloane family purchased 128 acres of beautiful land by Grassy Pond. Father Douglas Sloane III and mother Sibyl Edwina Sanderson Sloane imagined that this land would eventually contain the homes of their four adult children: Douglas IV, Sandy, Margaret, and Jack. Even the massive Hurricane of 1938, which torn down many pine trees across the area, brought good fortune to the family, as it exposed the view of Mount Monadnock. Sandy and Jack joined the Army Air Corps, a precursor to the modern Air Force. Sandy asked that they “not to touch my knoll until I get back... It’s just like a cathedral.” Jack survived the war, but Sandy died in action in 1945. The Sloane family decided that the knoll meant for Sandy’s home would instead become a memorial and shared place of mourning.

Tree of Life sculpture at Cathedral of the Pines; a metal sculpture shaped like a fruit tree stands in the middle of a stone basin of water inside a stone tower. Grassy Pond at Cathedral of the Pines; a bright blue pond as a breeze ripples the surface of the water. The trees around the edge of the water are beginning to turn golden and orange at the beginning of fall, while the pines remain green. The clear sky matches the color of the water.

Dedicated in 1967, the Women’s Memorial Bell Tower highlights the contributions of women in the military. Embedded in the sides of the bell tower are plaques illustrator work done by women, including pioneers on the frontier; nurses and other medical personnel; members of the Salvation Army and YWCA; factory workers and riveters; soldiers in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard; and multiple other local and national organizations. American illustrator Norman Rockwell drew preliminary sketches for the tower from his studio in Stockbridge, MA, while his son Peter Barstow Rockwell sculpted and cast the reliefs from his studio in Rome, Italy. The bell tower contains carillons or bells donated by the Stearns-Upton Family in 2020. Inside the middle of the bell tower is a fountain and a sculpture called “Tree of Life” created by Jarl Hesselbarth (who wins the best name award for this week). Multiple bronze plaques describe the symbolism behind the piece.

Informational signage for Memorial Bell Tower; white sign with black text describing the history of the tower along with three black-and-white photographs. Informational signage for the reliefs on Memorial Bell Tower; a set of four signs with black text describing the designers of the reliefs and the history of those they represent, along with black-and-white photographs. Bronze plaque reading Carillons Given by The Stearns-Upton Family 2020 A bronze plaque reading The Fountain and the Tree of Life A Memorial for All American Nurses... Bronze plaque describing the Symbolism of the Fountain Bronze plaque with an equal relief at the top listing donors to the tower

In 1946, the Sloane family constructed the Altar of the Nation, a shrine dedicated to all Americans who lost their lives during wars. The altar is in a continuous state of construction. It contains stones from important places around the United States and the world, including a piece of Plymouth Rock; the battlefields of Lexington and Concord; the Parthenon in Athens, Greece; and the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. Other stones represent United States presidents, branches of the military, and the fifty states. The nearby Peter J. Booras Museum contains signage describing these stones.

Sign for the Altar of the Nation, including a full color photraph of the altar Poetry Sign reading The Kiss of the Sun for Pardon / The Song of the Birds for Mirth / You are nearer God’s Heart in the Garden / Than anywhere else on Earth Sign with a full picture of the altar describing military stones Sign with a full picture of the altar describing significant stones Sign with a full picture of the altar describing state stones Sign listing state stones on the altar

Besides the altar, the expansive grounds include a Mother’s Chapel dedicated to the mothers of veterans in 1961, St. Francis Chapel for the patron saint of animals, Ten Commandments Garden, Zen Garden, park benches to rest and reflect, and woodland trails with views of Grassy Pond and Emerson Pond. Cemeteries for the Sloane family and for soldiers are on the far end of the property.

Map of the Main Campus at Cathedral of the Pines Map of the Eastern Trail System at Cathedral of the Pines The Altar of Nations at Cathedral of the Pines; a stone alter with a stone cross on top set on a flat stone pavilion. Behind the altar is a landscape of pine trees mixed with deciduous trees beginning to change color. Mount Monadnock peeks over the horizon. The sky is cloudless and blue. The Altar of Nations at Cathedral of the Pines viewed from the garden below Mother’s Chapel at Cathedral of the Pines; sparse stone benches in two aisles atop a gravel floor in a garden Bench at Cathedral of the Pines; a pine tree is embossed in the cement side of the bench.

The little Peter J. Booras Museum is hidden on the bottom floor of Hilltop House, the building on the top of the knoll, but visitors do not want to miss this stop. Named for Peter J. Booras, Greek-American businessman who made his home in Keene, NH and brought around two thousand members of his community to the chapel, the museum contains informational signage describing the history and design of the property, along with war memorabilia and art. A helpful sign near the entrance reads “For the visitor’s best experience, we suggest you walk clockwise through the museum in order to learn the cathedral history.” Highlights of this room include stained glass windows commemorating the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service in the Navy) and WACs (Women’s Army Corps), military uniforms, a bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ on the cross, an oil portrait of Sandy Sloane, and a World War I era French pocket watch from Pawtucket, RI.

Bronze Sculpture of Jesus Christ on the Cross A pair of World War Two Era Uniforms External Peter J. Booras Museum sign; a second sign below reads OPEN Please Come In
Internal Peter J. Booras Museum sign; a portrait of a young man wearing a military uniform is below Stained Glass Window for the WAVES; in the mittle of the window is an anchor overtop a boat propeller Stained Glass Window for the Woman’s Army Corps; in the middle of a green ring is the profile of Athena in light orange
Newspapers declaring Hitler’s Plane Strength Dommed and President Roosevelt Is Dead Oil Portrait of Sandy Sloane wearing his military uniform French World War I era pocket watch from Pawtucket, RI

This quiet, holistic space allows people from every walk of life a time for contemplation, whether they hike the woodland trails, meditate and pray in the chapels, or learn the history of the place and the people who created it. The grounds at Cathedral of the Pines are open from dawn to dusk each day throughout the year. The buildings are open Monday through Friday, with an open time from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during May through October, and from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during November through April. Buildings and grounds are free of charge, but donations are appreciated. The museum and grounds are wheelchair accessible, but the trails are fairly steep and rugged. Ample signage explains the purpose of the space, although no audio tour is available at this time. Plenty of information about the organization’s history and upcoming events is on its website.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 9/10

Accessibility: 7/10



Location: 10 Hale Hill Rd, Rindge, NH 03461, USA