Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
National Register of Historic Places

Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery

Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Listed
June 5, 2002
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
02000612

About this property

The Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is the oldest extant cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It was established in 1858 as a privately owned burial ground known as Minneapolis Cemetery or Layman's Cemetery. By 1919 it was full, with more than 27,000 bodies, and was closed by the city government. Only a handful of burials have taken place there since. The cemetery is located at the intersection of Lake Street and Cedar Avenue. 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 there. 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 there, as are many of their children. Over half of the cemetery's 20,000 interments are children. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 for its local significance in the theme of social history. It was nominated for reflecting both the city's pioneer era and an early historic preservation movement that saw the site restored from 1928 to 1936.

Location

2925 Cedar Ave. S
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
44.95019, -93.24488

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Coliseum Building and Hall
Industrial
0.6 mi
Cedar Square West
Listed
0.8 mi
East Lake Branch Library
Industrial
0.8 mi
Milwaukee Avenue Historic District
Listed
0.8 mi
Sears, Roebuck and Company Mail-Order Warehouse and Retail Store
Industrial
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery listed on the National Register?

Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 5, 2002.

What type of historic resource is Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery?

Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery?

The period of significance for Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1858.

Can I research the history near Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery?

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