just like a little town

The De Smet Cemetery Association was organized in March 1881, with the Reverend Edward Brown serving as its first president. Charles Tinkham served as first funeral director and association secretary. Residents who signed the Articles of Incorporation included Edward Brown, Charles Tinkham, John Owen, Vischer Barnes, John H. Carroll, Thomas Power, Charles Dawley, Elwin Dixon, David Gilbert, and Horace Woodworth.

Land for the original ten-acre cemetery was purchased from Jacob Hopp for $150, with payment made in 1885. In 1897, two acres were purchased for an adjoining Catholic cemetery. Several more parcels have been added to the original cemetery lands since that time; there are currently over 2000 burials recorded in the De Smet cemetery and over 700 burials in St. Thomas cemetery. The De Smet and St. Thomas Cemeteries are located southwest of De Smet, on 208th Street.

The De Smet Cemetery was platted in 48 blocks around a central flagpole. Each block contains up to 16 lots of up to 12 graves. Each platted gravesite is 4x8 feet in size. Six or 8 ft. wide paths (some of which today have become roadways) divide groups of lots, and the cemetery is further divided by two 20 ft. gravel roads and an interior angular roadway.

Yep, there are people buried in what today are roads.
- posted by pioneergirl at 10:02 PM