Pioneers & Soldiers Memorial Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN

Confirmed as the oldest existing cemetery in the city of Minneapolis, Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery has been on the map since 1853, when the first person was interred here. In more than 150 years about 20,000 persons have been buried in what is now officially an historic place.  In June 2002, Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Few cemeteries achieve that status. 

This special place is also part of the popular summer walking tours in Minneapolis.  Much of the attraction is due to at least two important distinctions — a caretaker's cottage that has a history reaching back to just a few years after the Civil War.  This building joins other attractive structures (fences, monuments) as key reasons visitors enjoy their time here.  The second major reason for the consistent interest in Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is the significance of those buried in the cemetery.  Among those recognized names are territorial pioneers, veterans whose service reaches back to the War of 1812, and numerous immigrants from European countries.  More than 10,000 of the graves in this cemetery are the final resting place of children.

Guided walking tours under the auspices of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and the city's Department of Economic Development have attracted increased interest in recent years.  The Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery is one of the sites included on the one-hour and two-hour tours.  In addition to such sites as the cemetery, the tours visit homes and buildings that are significant historically or as architecture.