History
Dedicated to ensuring the history and contributions of those residing in the Roslyn Historic cemeteries are remembered, respected and revered.
The development of the Roslyn Cemeteries began prior to Roslyn’s incorporation in 1889.
These cemeteries were operated with the permission of the Northern Pacific Coal company, later the Northwestern Improvement Company (NWI).
Originally, there was one general cemetery (now known as the Old City). Blacks were excluded from the original cemetery and were buried in an adjoining piece of ground.
As fraternal organizations came into being, fraternal cemeteries were also developed as distinct and separate cemeteries.
In 1926 the City was deeded the land that encompassed all then existing cemeteries, except the Masonic Cemetery, which was deeded to the lodge directly from NWI. Enough land was deeded at this time to cover some expansion.
Subsequent to that deed, four cemeteries have been deeded by the City to individual organizations. These are Oddfellows, Old Knights of Pythias, New Knights of Pythias, and Veteran cemeteries. The City has also subsequently added two cemeteries, the New City and Roslyn Memorial Gardens.
The Roslyn Memorial Gardens was situated on a piece of land acquired by the City after the 1926 deed. Given this line of development, the only cemeteries for which the City maintains records are the New City and Roslyn Memorials Gardens, only the Roslyn Memorial Gardens has perpetual care.
Most of the fraternal organizations that once existed locally have now been disbanded for many years. Families and other volunteers currently do most of the cleaning and maintenance in the Roslyn cemeteries.
Header photo: From the Ellensburg Daily Record – late 1980s: CEMETERY PROJECT – Plum Creek production supervisor and Roslyn Kiwanis member Larry Spear shows Cle Elum High School students Regan Schwertfeger and Mike Wells some of the posts donated by Plum Creek for replacement at the Roslyn Cemetery. Spear donated his time to make the posts. The students will paint and install them as part of a local history class project under the direction of history teacher Fred Krueger. Krueger and his students, along with Roslyn Kiwanis members, have renovated portions of the Roslyn Cemetery with money received from donations and a Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. grant. (Record photo)
(Source: Excerpt from the City of Roslyn Ordinance 887, 1989 10.16.007 History.)
The Historical Cemeteries of Roslyn
by Karyne Ware
Published March, 2005. Presented here with permission.