Elmwood Cemetery began its history in the Spring of 1846 when some of Detroit’s leading citizens conceived the idea of establishing a cemetery in the suburbs of the city. For the sum of $1,850 they purchased forty-two acres from what was originally the George Hunt Farm in the township of Hamtramck and renamed the property Elmwood Cemetery. In 1849, the cemetery was incorporated as a non-profit organization and in 1883, an endowment fund was created for the perpetual care of the cemetery and individual lots. Over the years, additional land was purchased from the Hunt Farm and the neighboring farm of D.C. Whitwood so that today the cemetery consists of approximately eighty-six acres.
Historic Remembrance & Memorialization
Steeped in history, Elmwood is the oldest non-denominational continuously operating cemetery in Detroit. It contains the memorials of many famous men and women who have served their country faithfully in times of peace and war. A special lot is designated for those who fought in the Civil War and is one of the first places in the United States given permission to fly the flag continuously as a memorial to those patriots without it being lit at night.
Elmwood’s history is also represented by many distinguished citizens who are memorialized in the park including, W.A. Burt, the inventor of the equatorial sextant and solar compass and Margaret Mather, the great Shakespearean actress of the nineteenth century. Other notables include governors, mayors, judges, ministers, lawyers, doctors, prominent businessmen and abolitionists. George DeBaptiste, Dr. Joseph Ferguson and William Lambert all represent the abolitionist movement having worked faithfully for their cause with leaders such as the well-known ex-slave and orator Frederick Douglas. These along with many others made it possible for Elmwood Cemetery's designation as a significant site for the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom by the US National Parks Service in 2016.
Other noteworthy persons memorialized at Elmwood include Douglass Houghton, Michigan’s first State Geologist; Eber Brock Ward, Michigan industrialist and Michigan's first millionaire; Seven governors along with Michigan’s Territorial Governor; U. S. Senator Jacob Merrit Howard author of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the US Constitution; and General Philip St. George Cook who led the Mormon Battalion two thousand miles to Los Angeles in 1846, raising the flag at Fort Tucson along the way.
Many other heroes, dating back to the early fighting with the English and Indians and including veterans of all the wars and fighting since, have found a resting-place at Elmwood. From privates to generals, all ranks and honors are remembered at Elmwood. History books state that Memorial Day, originally designated as Decoration Day, was first celebrated in Detroit in 1869. However, Detroit’s first observance of the holiday actually occurred one year earlier on May 30, 1868 at Elmwood Cemetery. Quickly organized on three days' notice, the simple yet meaningful event is missed by many Historians in their recounting of history. The ceremony took place opposite the entrance with national flags and a stuffed eagle forming the background to the speakers and the Fort Wayne band.
Visit our Biographies to read more about the many notables who are buried at Elmwood Cemetery.
Old World Design
The design of the cemetery, inspired by the rural park cemetery movement, was created in 1890 when prominent landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, was brought in to enhance the picturesque cemetery and design improvements to the layout of the park. Thanks to his work, Elmwood is now graced by majestic groves of trees and lush vegetation that takes advantage of the natural beauty and history of the land. These grand trees contributed to Elmwood's 2015 arboretum certification.
Between the rolling green hills and through the valley, runs a creek that defines the setting and emphasizes the historical significance of Elmwood Cemetery. Originally “Parents Creek,” it was named in 1707 for a gunsmith appearing on the records of St. Anne’s Church. On July 31, 1763, in an incident during the Pontiac uprising against the British, the creek was renamed Bloody Run after the Native American massacre of Captain Dalzell and his men. A Michigan HIstorical Marker memorializes this event and the trustees of Elmwood have preserved this historic section as part of the natural beauty and history of the cemetery. Elmwood has the only section of Bloody Run Creek in Detroit that is open and visible.
Enhancing the historic feel of the park are beautiful buildings designed in an old-world style, including the exquisite chapel built in 1856 of quarried limestone and office building built in 1870. In the late 1900s, after fire destroyed the chapel and several additions were added to the office, both buildings were extensively restored. Take a TOUR of the grounds to see and learn more about the many monuments and buildings that grace Elmwood Cemetery.