 This is a metal obelisk which is in a class by itself. Ordered from mail order companies such as Sears & Roebuck, the cast iron had distinct advantages and disadvantages as a material for memorials. On the credit side they afforded durablity, easy and cheap manufacturing, and the freedom to create new designs, which was impossible to do in stone. Disadvantages included the essentially repetitive process of making them, and the difficulty of adding further lettering once the design had been cast. 