Glendale Cemetery

Glendale & Old City Cemeteries

Beginnings

Washington’s first “official” cemetery was deeded June 27, 1849. William & Jane Holland deeded a parcel of land which amounted to a ½ acre, and James, David, & Hannah Keyes did basically the same thing with an adjoining piece to form what we now know as Old City Cemetery. With Washington’s growth, it didn’t take long for expansion to become necessary. In February 1882, twelve acres of an area used for social gatherings known as “Anthony’s Grove” was purchased by the city from John H. Anthony and became the first ten blocks of what we now know as Glendale Cemetery. Prior to that purchase, the city sought out pieces of property to purchase and had received offers from Anthony as well as:

· John Johnson (property in the current Cruger/Dallas/Nofsinger intersection area)

· Peter Portman (now the Washington Park area)

· A.G Danforth (location unknown)

In 1894, the Candlewood Bridge was built between the cemeteries to allow for greater access to the “new” cemetery. Prior to that access was most likely gained from a path from South Main Street through the current area of Oakwood Subdivision.

An attentive walk through Glendale Cemetery will show many headstones with burials earlier than 1882. Many of these individuals were originally buried on the Squire Baker farm west of town and then removed to Glendale Cemetery when Baker sold the land to George Hagenstotz. The Squire Baker farm was in the current area of Dallas Road. The oldest known burials in Glendale Cemetery are individuals who died in 1838: Thomas Birkett (1778-1838) and James Wilson (1837-1838). This movement of bodies and/or headstones probably happened in the Old City Cemetery as well, as the earliest recorded stone is a young girl who died in 1830, 19 years before the deeding of the land, and only five years after William Holland initially set foot in Washington.

Organization

In 1905, a Cemetery Association was formed. The motivation for its creation was simple…the cemetery was a mess. It was owned by the city whose maintenance schedule consisted of cutting down the overgrowth with a scythe on Memorial Day, then called Decoration Day.

When the Association was established, their priorities were to plant some shrubs and flowers, extend the city’s water line to the property, and make the cemetery much more presentable year-round, not just on Memorial Day.

In addition, they wanted a better name than “the cemetery.” They considered several names, including Brookside, Woodlawn, Glendale, Elmwood, Oakland, as well as East & West Lawn, eventually settling on Glendale Cemetery, which they were using to describe the current Glendale and Old City Cemeteries combined.

In 1906, water was extended to the cemetery with most of the cost paid for by private donations.

Upon formation of the Cemetery Association, owners of lots on the property were required to pay a $1 annual fee for upkeep. Collection of this fee helped the Association greatly but was also a large hassle to collect.

The Cemetery Association continued into the 1940’s. After that the city and local veterans’ organizations took more of a role in the maintenance, improvements, and upkeep. It was around that time that the cemetery began expansion westward from its original ten blocks.

In 1940, the American Legion added an urn at the entrance to each cemetery.

In 1957, the Veterans Memorial was completed by the local American Legion with the help of many local businesses donating materials and labor. The memorial has been a key part of Washington's traditional Memorial Day services ever since. The processional from the Square to the cemetery has existed for well over 100 years, most likely back into the 19^th century,

In 1972, the gates to Glendale Cemetery were added by Miller Welding.

Cremation Garden

In 2016, Glendale Cemetery opened their Cremation Garden on the western edge of the property which provided an internment option for cremated loved ones. The first feature of the garden added was a columbarium. It also provided a quiet place of refuge for visitors of the cemetery.

Vandalism

Vandalism has been an issue at the cemetery at various times in its history going back as far as the late 1800’s. It is a particularly egregious act considering the lack of respect for our fallen citizens and the permanent damage to their resting place. When it happens, it lights a fire under the community. After a horrible vandalism event in 1968 in Old City Cemetery, the first documented record of the citizens buried there was attempted, and residents came together to repair the monuments as best they could.

Birder’s Playground

The cemetery has become a popular stopping point for local birders to investigate birding activity during all seasons. Over 125 species (listed below) have been catalogued in the cemetery area just since 2014.