United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and elsewhere, a pioneer cemetery is a
cemetery
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
that is the burial place for pioneers. American pioneers founded such cemeteries during territorial expansion of the United States, with founding dates spanning, at least, from the late 18th to early 20th centuries.
A number of these have been officially designated as historic sites worthy of preservation, including at least 10 listed on the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
(NRHP).
Definitions
The State of
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
defines "pioneer cemetery" as "a cemetery where twelve or
fewer burials have taken place in the past 50 years".
The State of
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
defines an "abandoned or neglected pioneer cemetery" as having been founded or situated upon land that "was given, granted, donated, sold, or deeded to the founders of the cemetery prior to January 1, 1900", and that "contains the grave or graves of a person or persons who were
homesteaders
The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of th ...
, immigrants from a foreign nation, prairie farmers, pioneers,
sodbusters Sodbuster was a program created by Title 12 of the Food Security Act of 1985 designed to discourage the plowing up of erosion-prone grasslands for use as cropland. If such is used for crop production without proper conservation measures as laid out ...
, first generation Nebraskans, or
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
veterans".
The State of Oregon defines a "pioneer cemetery" as "any burial place that contains the remains of one or more persons who died before February 14, 1909", which is the 50th anniversary of Oregon's
statehood
A state is a centralized political organization that imposes and enforces rules over a population within a territory. There is no undisputed definition of a state. One widely used definition comes from the German sociologist Max Weber: a "sta ...
.
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
recognizes that pioneer cemeteries may have become the responsibility of a public cemetery district or may be dedicated by the city or county as a pioneer memorial park if no longer maintained. The law also authorizes the "removal of such copings, improvements, and embellishments which the governing board finds to be a threat or danger to the health, safety, comfort, or welfare of the public."
List of pioneer cemeteries
Dates are of official founding or earliest known burial.
Albany, Western Australia
Albany ( ; nys, Kinjarling) is a port city in the Great Southern region in the Australian state of Western Australia, southeast of Perth, the state capital. The city centre is at the northern edge of Princess Royal Harbour, which is a ...
; also known as Pioneer Cemetery
Canada
*
Buxton Pioneer Cemetery
Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Chatham-Kent
Chatham-Kent ( 2021 population: 104,316)Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
*
St. Mary's Pioneer Cemetery
ST, St, or St. may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Stanza, in poetry
* Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band
* Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise
* Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy ...
(1876), Calgary, Alberta
*
Whitehorse Pioneer Cemetery
Whitehorse () is the capital of Yukon, and the largest city in Northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas o ...
(1900)
United States
Arizona
*
Adamsville A.O.U.W. Cemetery
The Adamsville Cemetery is a historic cemetery, established by the Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.) in Adamsville, a ghost town in Pinal County, Arizona. The Pioneers' Cemetery Association (PCA) defines a "historic cemetery" as one wh ...
(1894), Pinal County
*
Double Butte Cemetery
The Double Butte Cemetery is the official name given to a historic cemetery in Tempe, Arizona. The cemetery was founded in 1888 on the baseline of the Double Butte Mountain for which it is named. It is the final resting place of various notable pi ...
(1888), Tempe; whose pioneer section is NRHP-listed
*
Fry Pioneer Cemetery
Fry Pioneer Cemetery is the original cemetery in Fry, Arizona, which was the name of Sierra Vista prior to its renaming and incorporation in 1956. It is a half-acre site, and includes more than 200 known graves, most of which are unmarked. It ha ...
Henry Wickenburg Pioneer Cemetery
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
*Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
Hardyville Cemetery
The Hardyville Cemetery, also known as the Hardyville Pioneer Cemetery, at 1776 Arizona State Route 95 in Bullhead City, Arizona, is a historic cemetery that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. –
It is the only surviving s ...
(c. 1867), Bullhead City
*
Pioneer and Military Memorial Park
The Pioneer and Military Memorial Park is the official name given to seven historic cemeteries in Phoenix, Arizona. The cemeteries were founded in 1884 in what was known as "Block 32". On February 1, 2007, "Block 32" was renamed Pioneer and Milita ...
(1871),
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
Centerville Pioneer Cemetery
The Centerville Pioneer Cemetery, also known as the Centerville Presbyterian Cemetery or Alameda Presbyterian Cemetery, is located at the corner of Post Street and Bonde Way in Fremont, California. It was officially designated as a state cemetery ...
(1850s), Fremont
*
Chevra Kaddisha Cemetery, Sacramento
Chevra Kaddisha Cemetery (English: ''Holy Society''), later known as Home of Peace Cemetery, was the first Jewish cemetery in California founded on November 12, 1850, by the Sacramento City Hebrew Association, and was once located at 33rd at K Str ...
Holy Cross Cemetery Holy Cross Cemetery may refer to:
United States
California
*Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California)
*Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California
* Holy Cross Cemetery (Menlo Park, California)
* Holy Cross Cemetery (Pomona, California)
*Holy C ...
(1887), Colma
*
Holy Cross Cemetery Holy Cross Cemetery may refer to:
United States
California
*Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California)
*Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California
* Holy Cross Cemetery (Menlo Park, California)
* Holy Cross Cemetery (Pomona, California)
*Holy C ...
(1860s), Menlo Park
*
Jackson Pioneer Jewish Cemetery
Jackson Pioneer Jewish Cemetery, also known as Givoth Olam (English: ''Hills of Eternity''), is a no longer active Jewish cemetery founded in 1857 by the Congregation B'nai Israel, and is located in Jackson, Amador County, California. By 1921, th ...
(1857), Jackson
*
Lone Mountain Cemetery
Lone Mountain Cemetery was a complex of cemeteries in the Lone Mountain (California), Lone Mountain neighborhood of San Francisco, California on the land bounded by the present-day California Street, Geary Boulevard, Parker Avenue, and Presidio ...
Mount Eden Cemetery
Mt. Eden Cemetery is a cemetery in Hayward, California, in the area formerly called "Mt. Eden". The site was first established in 1860 as a pioneer cemetery
In the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, a pioneer cemetery is a cemet ...
(1860), Hayward
*
New Helvetia Cemetery
New Helvetia Cemetery, initially named Sutter Fort Burying Ground, is a defunct cemetery founded in c. 1845 and closed in 1912, formerly located at northeast corner of Alhambra Boulevard and J Street (present-day 924 Alhambra Boulevard) in the Eas ...
Placerville Union Cemetery
Placerville Union Cemetery, formerly Union Cemetery, is a burial ground formed in 1871 by a group of fraternal organizations, and located in Placerville, California. It had been established as a private cemetery, and in 2005 the management was sw ...
Hayward Area Historical Society
Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting the history of the city of Hayward, California and adjacent communities. These areas include San Lorenzo, Ashland, Cherryland, Castro Valley, Fairview ...
Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery
Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery, is a cemetery and a historic landmark in Sierra Madre, California.
History
In 1881, Nathaniel Coburn Carter purchased land located along Central Ave., later renamed Sierra Madre Boulevard, for use as a Cemetery ...
Sonora Hebrew Cemetery
The Sonora Hebrew Cemetery, also known as Pioneer Jewish Cemetery, is an inactive Jewish cemetery founded in c. 1851, and located in Sonora, California. This was the first Jewish cemetery in the Gold Rush region.
History
The cemetery was foun ...
(c. 1851),
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville, Tennessee. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Nashville. Among those interred or entombed in the cemetery, there are many prominent members of the country music ge ...
, Colma (1905), many early graves from San Francisco were relocated here.
*
Yosemite Cemetery
Yosemite Cemetery, also known as Pioneer Cemetery, is a cemetery built in the 1870s and located on the west end of Yosemite Valley, California, Yosemite Village, in Mariposa County, California, Mariposa County, California. In 2014, the Yosemite Co ...
(1870s), Mariposa County
*Odd Fellows or Masonic Pioneer (1865),
Fallbrook
Fallbrook is a CDP in northern San Diego County, California. Fallbrook had a population of 30,534 at the 2010 census, up from 29,100 at the 2000 census.
Fallbrook's downtown is not on a major highway route. It is west of Interstate 15 or n ...
Florida
*
Houston Pioneer Cemetery
The Houston Pioneer Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Eau Gallie, Florida. It is located within Rossetter Park off Highland Avenue between Oak Street and Shady Lane near the James Wadsworth Rossetter House. The cemetery includes graves of ori ...
(1883), Eau Gallie
Indiana
* Pioneer Cemetery (part of
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a United States presidential memorial and a National Historic Landmark District in Lincoln City, Indiana. It preserves the farm site where Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1816 to 1830. During that ...
and gravesite of Nancy Hanks Lincoln), Lincoln City
Mormon Pioneer Cemetery
The Mormon Pioneer Cemetery is located at 3300 State Street in present-day Florence at the north end of Omaha, Nebraska. The Cemetery is the burial site of hundreds of Mormon pioneers who lived in Winter Quarters, a temporary settlement that la ...
Sidney
Sidney may refer to:
People
* Sidney (surname), English surname
* Sidney (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Sidney (footballer, born 1972), full name Sidney da Silva Souza, Brazilian football defensive midfielder
* ...
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
Oregon
*
Eugene Masonic Cemetery
The Eugene Masonic Cemetery, the oldest chartered cemetery in Eugene, Oregon, is one of the oldest privately owned and continuously operating historic entities in Lane County. It was incorporated as a burial site in 1859, the same year Oregon b ...
(1859),
Eugene
Eugene may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...
*
Eugene Pioneer Cemetery
Eugene Pioneer Cemetery (also Pioneer Memorial Cemetery and Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) Cemetery) is a pioneer cemetery in Eugene, Oregon, United States. It is one of the three oldest cemeteries in Eugene. It is the largest in both ...
Gresham Pioneer Cemetery
Gresham Pioneer Cemetery, founded in 1859, lies on the east side of Southwest Walters Road in Gresham, Oregon, United States. The cemetery is bordered by the Springwater Corridor Trail and Johnson Creek (Willamette River), Johnson Creek on the sou ...
Lebanon Pioneer Cemetery
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
Salem Pioneer Cemetery
Salem Pioneer Cemetery (also known as the I.O.O.F. Cemetery or Oddfellows Cemetery) is a cemetery in Salem, Oregon, United States.
Overview
Salem Pioneer Cemetery is one of two historic cemeteries located next to each other at the intersection ...
(1850s), Salem
Texas
*
Der Stadt Friedhof
Der Stadt Friedhof (the city cemetery) is a pioneer cemetery established in 1846 along Barons Creek on the corner of East Schubert Street and Lee Street, in Fredericksburg, Texas. It is the oldest known cemetery within Fredericksburg and is the ...
(1846), Fredericksburg
*
Founders Memorial Cemetery
Founders Memorial Cemetery, also known as Founders Memorial Park, is the oldest cemetery in Houston, Texas, United States. Founded in 1836, it was originally known as "City Cemetery", and opened in conjunction with the founding of the City of Hous ...
(1836), Houston
*
Pioneer Park Cemetery
Pioneer Park Cemetery is a conglomeration of four graveyards with the remains of several of the city's earliest founders. It is located in the Convention Center District of downtown Dallas, Texas, US, and directly east of Pioneer Plaza. The f ...
(1849), Dallas
Washington
*
Bothell Pioneer Cemetery
Bothell Pioneer Cemetery is a cemetery located in Bothell, Washington.
Description and history
The cemetery lies on both the northeast and southeast corners of the junction of 180th Avenue NE and NE 180th Street. The initial of land for the ce ...
Lacey
Lacey may refer to:
People Surname A–L
* Andrew Lacey (1887–1946), Australian politician
* Bill Lacey (American football) (born 1971), American football player and coach
* Bill Lacey (footballer) (1889–1969), Irish footballer
* Bob Lacey ( ...
Tumwater
Tumwater is a town in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,350 at the 2020 census. It is situated near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound; it also borders the state ca ...
List of cemeteries in the United States
This is a list of cemeteries in the United States. The list includes both active and historic sites, and does not include pet cemeteries. At the end of the list by states, cemeteries in territories of the United States are included. The list is ...