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Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
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Welcome to Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldier Memorial Cemetery (formerly
known as Layman’s), the oldest existing cemetery in Minneapolis. Since
the first burial in 1853 the cemetery has been the final resting place
of those
who helped shape the history of early Minneapolis. Several prominent
territorial pioneers, including Charles Christmas, Edwin Hedderly, and
Philander Prescott are buried here. Approximately 200 military veterans
who
fought in wars ranging from the War of 1812 to World War I are buried
in the
cemetery. It is the burial site for many of the city’s early
African-American residents and for many people who had ties to the
abolitionist
movement in Minnesota. Several thousand immigrants, primarily from
Scandinavia
and Eastern Europe, are buried here, as are many of their children.
Over half
of the cemetery’s 20,000 residents are children.
On June 2, 2002, Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
was
placed on the National Register of Historic Places—one of the few
cemeteries that has that honor. It received its historic designation
for two
primary reasons: The cemetery has several distinctive architectural
features
including the caretaker’s cottage which dates from about 1871. Other
decorative structures, such as the flag pole, the fence and gates, and
monuments to territorial women and military veterans date from the
1920’s
and 30’s. The second reason is the significance of the contributions of
those buried in the cemetery to the social history of Minneapolis.
This web site is very much a work in progress, and we welcome your
participation. If you have family sketches or stories, biographical
information, or photographs that you would like to share, please
contact us at
friends@friendsofthecemetery.org.
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