Lakewood Cemetery

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name =Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel
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caption = The Byzantine-styled chapel at Lakewood Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
location = 3600 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
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architect = Harry Wild Jones
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added = October 20, 1983
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refnum = 83003657
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Lakewood Cemetery is a large private, non-sectarian cemetery located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is located at 3600 Hennepin Avenue at the southern end of the Uptown area. It is noted for its chapel which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Lakewood has long been considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country. It was modeled after the rural cemeteries of 19th century France, such as the famous Père-Lachaise in Paris. When Lakewood was established in 1871, these spacious cemeteries were flourishing in the United States.

In July 1871 Colonel William S. King, local businessman and newspaper publisher, proposed to community leaders of the city that they work together to establish a cemetery in Minneapolis where "the encroachments of the city would never seriously interfere". On August 7, 1871, a group of fifteen held a meeting and established the Lyndale Cemetery Association. According to the minutes of the original meeting recorded by Thomas Lowry, "that after an examination of various localities they had chosen the land owned by William S. King lying between Lakes Calhoun and Harriet". Colonel King agreed to sell the land for $21,000, "on one year's time at seven percent interest". During a time in which a home in Minneapolis could be purchased for $500, the new trustees voted to raise $25,000 "for the purchase of grounds and improvements". The money was raised by selling 250 shares of stock at $100 a piece, two-thirds of which was purchased by the trustees themselves. The remaining balance was solicited by a committee and sold to other residents of the city. The organization was later renamed the "Lakewood Cemetery Association". In an Executive Committee Meeting held on April 23, 1872, Superintendent A.B. Barton and the board of trustees employed C. W. Folsom, Superintendent of Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts to develop plans for the grounds.

The public dedication of Lakewood was held on September 16, 1872 and was attended by many Minneapolis families and residents. The sale of lots to the public began immediately after the dedication. Maggie Menzel, who died on January 24, 1872 at the age of nineteen, was the first person buried in Lakewood Cemetery. On October 5, 1872 the Association reacquired all stock from the original investors. Roughly three years later in August 1875 the Association submitted its first annual report to the lot owners of Lakewood, which stressed the Cemetery's non-profit status.

Many Minneapolis streets, parks, and monuments bear the names of the Association's original founders - Thomas Lowry, William D. Washburn, and Charles M. Loring to name a few. Since 1872, Lakewood has continued to exist as a public, non-profit, non-denominational cemetery providing services to the families of Minneapolis.

Notable persons

*Curt Carlson, founder of Radisson Hotels
*H. David Dalquist, inventor of the Bundt pan
*Steve Foley, drummer for The Replacements
*Orville Freeman, 29th Governor of Minnesota, Former US Secretary of Agriculture
*Lewis A. Grant, American Civil War general and Assistant U.S. Secretary of War
*Hubert Humphrey, Vice President of the United States, U.S. Senator
*Muriel Humphrey, Second Lady of the United States, U.S. Senator
*William S. King, U.S. Representative
*Robert Koehler, German-born painter
*Charles August Lindbergh, Republican congressman, father of the pioneering aviator
*Frank C. Mars, creator of the Milky Way candy bar
*George Mikan, professional basketball player
*Karl Mueller, Soul Asylum bassist
*Floyd B. Olson, 22nd Governor of Minnesota, often considered the state's greatest governor
*Rudy Perpich, 34th and 36th Governor of Minnesota
*John S. Pillsbury, 8th Governor of Minnesota, founder of Pillsbury
*Carl Pohlad, owner of the Minnesota Twins (Pohlad is alive, but his gravestone has already been erected at the cemetery) [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=401&GScid=82700&GRid=5965&]
*James Sample, conductor of many orchestras including the Oregon Symphony
*Tiny Tim, musician and entertainer.
*Paul Wellstone, US Senator
*Harriet G. Walker, president of Northwestern Hospital, now part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics
*T. B. Walker, lumberman and art collector, now Walker Art Center
*Juanita Wright, professional wrestler

External links

* [http://www.lakewoodcemetery.com Official site]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=82700&CScn=lakewood&CSst=25& Find a Grave.com listing for Lakewood Cemetery]