Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery, Friedhof in den Vereinigten Staaten
The Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is the oldest existing burial ground in Minneapolis and spans ten acres with more than 20,000 interments. The grounds follow a practical grid layout with ordered rows of graves, shade trees lining the paths, and mostly simple headstones from various periods.
The cemetery began with its first burial in 1853 and grew into a significant burial place for early settlers, soldiers from wars ranging from the War of 1812 to World War I, and European immigrants. It was renamed the Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery in 1928, and a monument honoring Charles W. Christmas was erected in 1942.
The cemetery was established by local farmers who opened it to the community for burial of loved ones. Headstones display the diverse origins of early residents, with inscriptions in German, Swedish, and other languages that reflect the immigrant communities who shaped the city.
The cemetery is easily accessible with shaded pathways winding between rows of graves and provides a calm setting for walking and observation. Visitors should move slowly to explore the various headstones and inscriptions while respecting the peaceful atmosphere of the space.
The cemetery was remarkably unsegregated at a time when racial separation was common, with people of different backgrounds buried together. It is also the final resting place of William Goodridge, a formerly enslaved man who helped runaway slaves escape via the Underground Railroad and later became a successful businessman.
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