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Welcome to
Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery Park
On your way over to this bench, you may have noticed the interesting layout of the cemetery.
The side of the cemetery where you stand (where the tombstones are in curved rows) was the original area reserved for the men who served in the Union Army, while the other side nearest the flagpole (where the tombstones are in straight lines) contains a mix of both individual female and male burials, as well as couples who wished to be buried together.
The corner where you are currently standing is the very beginning of the cemetery, where the earliest burials are, and the area near the kiosk has the most recent burials.
So let’s start from the beginning, shall we?
After the Civil War, the United States had thousands of veterans, widows, and orphans who needed support. This was a nationally traumatizing event, and very few were left unharmed, physically or mentally, by this explosion of violence on American soil. This newfound national need inspired the foundation of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a fraternal organization for men who served in the Union Army.
The organization had three key focuses: fraternity, charity, and loyalty. With posts across the nation, the GAR worked to facilitate brotherhood among veterans, provide services for veterans and their families, and encourage patriotism and loyalty to the United States.
In the bustling new city of Seattle, Union Veterans joined local posts of the GAR, while many of their wives and daughters joined the Women's Relief Corps, the highly influential female auxiliary to the GAR. The GAR was a powerful force in both Seattle and the larger United States after the Civil War, as Union soldiers were leaders in rebuilding a fractured, yet growing United States of America. In Seattle, as in many American cities, most of the men running for political office, planning city projects, and shaping social movements were GAR men. Though their political views did vary, GAR men tended to lean into Lincoln-style Republicanism and Populism, with particular focuses on loyalty to the United States and looking out for the interests of both veterans and the common American.
If you would like to read more about the GAR and WRC in Seattle, please see the page linked here.
GAR Postcard, 1884.
Image property of The Library of Congress.
The GAR’s values came into focus when some of Seattle's GAR men began to die in the late 1870s. Those who could not afford an expensive cemetery plot were buried in paupers' fields, a prospect that disturbed the men of the GAR. They realized the importance of making sure their fellow soldiers were buried with respect and distinction, regardless of their economic or social standing. To prevent this from happening again, Seattle's five GAR posts worked together to gain four plots at Lakeview Cemetery, then known as Seattle Masonic Cemetery.
Unfortunately, this solution turned out to only be temporary, as the Lakeview plots began to fill up around 1895. So once again, the GAR had to find a suitable resting place for their members. In 1895, David Kaufman, one of Seattle's earliest Jewish residents, donated a part of his land to the GAR to establish a burial plot. This is the land GAR Cemetery Park sits on today.
This move onto Kaufman's land was not without controversy. Neighbors living around the proposed area for the GAR Cemetery were concerned about water contamination from embalming fluid found in corpses, and some suspected shady dealings between Kaufman, the city, and the GAR. Kaufman denied these allegations, and the cemetery was eventually approved. Based on the limited information available, it appears the GAR began to relocate burials to their new plot sometime in 1895-1896.
Huldah and David Kaufman.
Image property of University of Washington Special Collections.
The GAR's plans for this cemetery were grand at first, including expansive plots that would have stretched north of the cemetery's current location, where Newton and Crockett Streets are today. A grand gate was planned for the entrance, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln was planned as a crowning centerpiece for cemetery. Though plans were made for the cemetery's layout and designs were drawn up for the Lincoln statue, none of them ended up being implemented.
Despite the GAR's original aesthetic vision for the cemetery not quite coming to fruition, this cemetery became a treasured gathering place for Seattle's Civil War Veterans to memorialize their fellow soldiers. Memorial Day was celebrated here every year, with GAR members, WRC members, and local school children taking part in decorating graves at the cemetery. (For more about Memorial Day at the cemetery, visit the page linked here.)
In its early days, the GAR Cemetery served the important purpose it was meant for, providing dignified burials to all who served in the Union Army, regardless of class or race.
Children decorating graves at GAR Cemetery, circa 1902.
If you would like, before you head to the next stop on your walk, take the time to stop by the tombstones of the three individuals below. Walking directions from the bench are provided below each profile.
From the bench, face in the direction of the flagpole and walk along the row furthest to your left until you reach the 18th tombstone.
From the bench, face in the direction of the flagpole and walk along the row furthest to your left until you reach the ninth tombstone.
From the bench, face in the direction of Lakeview Cemetery and walk along the hedge to the 10th tomstone.
To continue on this guided walk, please make your way to the monument. If you are facing away from the bench in the corner, the obelisk should be right in front of you.
Next Stop!
When you are at the monument, press the button below to continue.
Start here!
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