‘Tales from Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery’ Archives
Social history set in stone
Tales fromPioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery By Sue Hunter Weir 164th in a Series Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery In June 2002, Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. For 10 years or so it was the only cemetery in Minnesota designated as an individual landmark. The cemetery”'s built environment ”“ the fence, caretaker”'s cottage and flagpole ”“ made it eligible but so did the lives of the people who are buried there.  Their stories are a significant part of the city”'s social history. It is by no means the complete history of the city during its early years but tells the story of many thousands of the city”'s early residents including thousands of immigrants and their children. In 1904, Sarah and Knut Nordeman, mother and son, entered into a suicide pact and overdosed on morphine. Knut survived but Sarah did not, and was buried in Pioneers [...]
She waited 50 years ”“ and the city kept its promise
Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery By Sue Hunter Weir 163rd in a Series People often ask whether it is still possible to be buried in the cemetery. The answer is ”“ maybe. It is possible, but not likely. On May 23, 1919, the Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance that closed Layman”'s (now Pioneers and Soldiers) Cemetery to future burials. They did so in response to a petition circulated by business owners and neighbors from the surrounding area who complained that the cemetery had become an eyesore and a health hazard. The burial ban went into effect on Aug. 1, 1919. The ordinance did not condemn the cemetery, which would have required disinterring the 27,000 people buried there, but simply said that no more could be added; there was enough misinformation and confusion about what the cemetery”'s future that family members arranged for the removal of more than 5,000 people. More that 22,000 remain. The last [...]
That was an interesting workday
Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery By Sue Hunter Weir In the 1890s Congress passed legislation allowing a number of organizations to apply for military surplus equipment. This “decorative” cannon and mortar were placed in the cemetery in the1920s and removed during World War II ”“ they were most likely used for scrap. 162nd in a Series Albert Nelson, caretaker at Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery from 1927 until his death in 1953, had a keen awareness of the role than many in the cemetery played in the state and city”'s history. It seems unlikely that he had any idea about his own role in that story. He had intended to write a book about the cemetery, but it appears that he ran out of time. Nonetheless, he left us an amazing amount of information that Mike Barth, current caretaker, found in one of the cemetery”'s ancient file cabinets.  The file contains Mr. Nelson”'s monthly reports to [...]
