Mesa County, Colorado Cemeteries [Work in Progress]
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Note: The MCGS Cemetery Project is a multi-year undertaking. Highlighted text are items that could be addressed during this project.
In conjunction with the Museum of the West, the Mesa County Genealogical Society is compiling a comprehensive view of Mesa County cemeteries. This project is a "work-in-progress" and some cemeteries are listed on this page. As additional information for each cemetery is added it will be set up on its own page that can be accessed through the table below. A future addition will be a search option.
We would like to thank, in particular, Museum of the West researcher/volunteer Marie Tipping for her ongoing discussions over the last several years about the local cemeteries and burials so that there was a starting point to get this project up and running.
If you are interested in Mesa County Cemeteries joining the Mesa County Genealogy Society and becoming part of the Cemetery Project Committee would be a great way to help the community gather details on our past. At this time (2024) the committee is working with the Whitewater Cemetery Association to thoroughly document this historic cemetery.
You can contact the Cemetery Project Committee by using 'See Email Address' button below
The original 2022 MCGS Cemetery Project Proposal can be found here.
The MCGS Cemetery Project Committee Check List can be found here.
Cemeteries: Alphabetical List
** In conjunction with the 'Colorado Cemetery Names Project' [2004], MCGS member Dennis R. Jenkins collected location data and photos of the Mesa County, Colorado cemeteries. These cemetery photographs have the following citation: 'Photo Credit: DRJ 2004'. The original project notebook can be found in the Mesa County Genealogical Society Library and includes detailed location including GPS details and Topographic map printouts.
The City of Grand Junction manages multiple municipal cemeteries including: The Municipal, Ohr Shalom, St Anthony, Veterans, Odd Fellows, Masonic, Calvary, and Orchard Mesa. A general map of these cemeteries can be found on the the City of Grand Junction 'City Cemeteries' page here. You can search for individual burials here.
History of Mesa County and its cemeteries...
There are several Mesa County cemetery histories published in various locations. A Mesa County compiled cemetery history would be a great addition to this website.
Example: Miscellaneous cemetery history notes: From the 'Journal of the Western Slope, Vol 6, No 1, Winter 1991.
"Pg 41: Cemeteries of the Lower Valley: Elmwood Cemetery, Catholic Cemetery 1 mile north of Fruita. 1881, Fruita had a designated burial ground. 1897, Grounds plotted and designated as cemeteries of the Lower Valley. 200 +/- servicemen graves in Elmwood. William Pabor - Fruita Founder buried in South Section of cemetery. Marble was from canyon north of Palisade.. Pg 42: Details of the annual cemetery clean-up.
Small cemeteries at: Appleton, Loma, Rhone and on the Highline. Many families buried their very small children on their own property, usually in an area by the side of a rosebush or just outside the parents bedroom.
Most cemeteries were uncared for plots of ground and each family was responsible for family grave care."
Many researchers have been involved with the research into the history of cemeteries and burials of Mesa County, Colorado. Since the 1970's The Museum of the West, Mesa County Genealogical Society members, local community members, local historians, and various community groups have worked to research and catalog the history and burials in Mesa County. These pages will help pull together all the research over the years into one central location. A separate page within this project could detail the efforts of some of these individuals.
Some of the MCGS Members who have worked in the past on previous cemetery projects include: Alice Devine, Phyllis George, Betty Jane Grosskopf, Wynona Hennessey, Dennis Jenkins, Dorothy Inscho, Pat & Linda Geary, Ron Halsey, Carolyn Howard, Margo Lurvey, Jay Cayton. Verna Seal, Dorothy Roper [more names to be added].
During the original planning of the original cemetery project a list of Mesa County cemeteries was located at the Colorado State Archives in Denver, CO which was completed by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) as part of their Historical Records Survey. This list includes the cemetery name and the Township, Range, and Section details. The list can be found here.
Town Company Notice, GJ News, 04 Nov 1882, Sat, pg 3
Kathy Jordan a Grand Junction historian who, unfortunately, passed away in 2013 completed much Mesa County Cemetery research. Links to some of her columns are listed below. **Note: These links access the web.archive.org and are occasionally slow to load.
- 'Unearthed Headstone Leads Columnist on Trail of History Mystery'
- 'Ross Cemetery'
- 'Early-Day Cemeteries Proved Profitable to Growing Town'
- 'OM Cemetery Centerpiece of Remembrance'
- 'Potter's Field'
First Recorded Death in Mesa County
Garland - Infant of Mr. & Mrs. Garland, died in December 1881 and may have been buried in Potters' Field.
Garland Infant Obituary, GJ News, 04 Nov 1882, Sat, pg 3
Back to Cemetery Alphabetical List
Mesa County Oral History Project related to cemeteries
Thank you to Kaia Michaelis, Executive Director of the Museum of the West, for the following links to the Mesa County Oral History Project.
- This link will take you to all of the oral histories where the word 'cemetery' is included.
- If you are interested in the Mesa County Oral History Project oral histories in general this link can take you there.
Possible Questions to be Answered
5 July 1883 noted in County Commissioner's Record - Burial - William Duncan. A copy of this record might provide more information on the place of burial. Was it perhaps 'Hope Cemetery'?
Click image for complete obituary
Death on the Rail, GJ News, 26 May 1883, pg 3
The murder of William Wencel was reported in the Grand Junction News on 25 Nov 1882, however no burial information was included. Where is this gentleman buried?
Colorado Historic Cemetery Association
"Purpose": To promote the preservation, interpretation and sustainability of historic cemeteries..." You can view their website here.
Miscellaneous Mesa County, Colorado Online Cemetery Information
Mesa County Genealogical Society Cemetery Database (pdf file)
Interment.net Limited burial information.
USGenWeb Archives
Find a Grave
Mesa County Colorado Genweb Colorado Gravestones
Billion Graves
Cemeteries: Chronological List
As the initial information on each cemetery is reviewed and additional information is added the cemetery will be removed from this list and a seperate page will be created.
Back to Cemetery Alphabetical List
Ohr Shalom Cemetery (City of Grand Junction)
???? (history?)
Ohr Shalom Cemetery **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004
Find a Grave - Ohr Shalom Cemetery
21 burials are listed on Find A Grave as of 31 May 2022.
Gate Location Address:SE Corner of Municipal Cemetery; Also on west side of Canon St (26 1/4 Rd)
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Orchard Mesa (Grand Junction)
1887/88 - Present
Orchard Mesa Cemetery **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004
Find a Grave - Orchard Mesa Cemetery
Gate Location Address: 263 26 1/4 Rd
Orchard Mesa Tombstones Vadalized Daily Sentinel 07 Sept 1980, Pg 20
Deeds for the Orchard Mesa Cemetery are being input to a database and will be available on this website in the future. They include the name of the purchaser, date purchased, along with the Lot and Row within the cemetery.
Orchard Mesa Cemetery sustained some damage during heavy flooding in 1895. You can read the article here.
In the 29 July 1988 Daily Sentinel Dave Fishell, a local historian, wrote an article about an infant found buried in a cave new Whitewater. Although the child was never identified, it was was eventually re-buried in the Orchard Mesa Cemetery. You can read the full article here.
The Orchard Mesa Cemetery details will eventually be move to a separate page. However until then some obituary copies will be noted here.
- Phildellia Franklin "Badger" Haynes: 1857 - 1894.
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Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery (Fruita)
????
Sacred Heart - Calvary Cemetery **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Gate Location Address:17 1/2 Road about 1/2 mile North of K Road, Fruita
Directions;From roundabout in Fruita (Aspen Ave & Mesa St.) go East on Aspen about 1/4 mile to 17 1/2 Rd. Turn Left and go North about 0.9 miles. The Cemetery is on the left (West) side of the road.
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Calvary (City of Grand Junction)
???? (need a history)
Calvary **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004
Find a Grave - Calvary Cemetery
Gate Location Address: 280 26 1/4 Rd
Directions:Take Highway 50 South to Canon St (26 1/4 Rd). Turn South and go .04. The Entrance to the cemetery is on the left (East) side of the road.
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Cedar Crest (Collbran)
????-???? (need a history)
Cedar Crest Cemetery and Access Road - **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004You can search for burials and tombstone photographs at Find a Grave.
Some burials not listed in Find a Grave are located at Billion Graves.
Gate Location Address: About 15716 - 58.85 Rd, Collbran
Directions: Take Hwy 330 East to 59.5 Rd; go about 0.4 miles South on 59.5 Rd to 58.85 Rd; Turn East and go North up the hill for about 0.15 miles to the cemetery.
Row lists have been provided by former MCGS member Margo Lurvey. Will be reconciled with Find a Grave database. Cemetery plot map would be helpful.
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I.O.O.F. (City of Grand Junction I.O.O.F.)
???? (need history)
I.O.O.F. Cemetery (Grand Junction) **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find A Grave - I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
Gate Location Address: B 3/4 Rd just West of the Masonic Cemetery
Directions: From Highway 50 South of Grand Junction P.O. turn South on Canon Road (26 1/4 Rd). Go South about 0.4 miles to B 3/4 Rd. Go West past Masonic Cemetery about 0.1 mile. IOOF Cemetery is on the left (South) side of road.
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Masonic (Grand Junction Masonic)
1891...????
Masonic Cemetery- **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find a Grave - Masonic Cemetery.
Gate Location Address: 269 26 1/4 Rd
Directions: From Highway 50 turn South on Canon Street (26 1/4 Rd) about 0.14 miles to intersection of Canon St. and B 3/4 Rd. The cemetery is on the right on the SW corner of the intersection,
There is a note in the 'Hope Cemetery' folder located in the library in the Museum of the West that mentions that some of burials were moved to the South part of the Masonic Cemetery when the Hope Cemetery was abandoned. This could be something the MCGS Cemetery Project Committee could look into.
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Memorial Gardens (Grand Junction)
1953 (?) - Present
The cemetery website lists 1953 as the date established, however there are burials listed on Find-A-Grave prior to this date.
Memorial Garden Cemetery - **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find a Grave - Memorial Gardens.
Gate Location Address 2970 North Ave.
Directions: From Grand Junction PO go East to 5th St., then go North about 0.6 miles to North Ave. Turn Right (East) and go about 3.5 miles (past 29 1/2 Rd) to 2970 North Ave. The cemetery is on the North side of North Ave.
Initial Memorial Garden Landscape Plan 1956
Garden of the Christus Section 1953
Garden of Devotion Section 1956
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Municipal (Grand Junction) Includes: Cremation Gardens and Memorial Forest
????
Municipal Cemetery and Cremation Gardens - **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find a Grave - Municipal Cemetery.
Gate Location Address: 291 26 1/4 Rd
Directions: Take Highway 50 South to Canon St (26 1/4 Rd). Turn South and go a short distance. The Entrance to the cemetery is on the right side (North) of the road.
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Palisade Municipal
????
Palisade Cemetery- **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find a Grave - Palisade Cemetery.
Gate Location Address: About 3529 Highway 6
Directions: From Palisade P.O. go South 0.3 miles to US Highway 6 and turn right (West). Go about 2.5 miles to the cemetery which is on the South side of the road.
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Veterans' Cemetery (Grand Junction)
????
Veterans Cemetery- **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Find a Grave - Veterans Cemetery
Gate Location Address: B 3/4 Rd
Directions: From Highway 50 South of Grand Junction P.O. turn South on Canon Road (26 1/4 Rd). Go West past IOOF Cemetery about 0.2 mile. Cemetery is on the left (South) side of road.
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Veterans' Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado (Federal)
????
Veterans Cemetery- **Photo Credit: DRJ 2004Veterans' Memorial Cemetery Website
Gate Location: 2830 D Road.
Directions: From Grand Junction Post Office go South to Atkin Ave, East to 9th St, South to D Road, then East on D Road about 1.8 miles to Cemetery. Cemetery is located on left (North) side of the road.
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Mesa County Genealogical Society is a member of the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies (CCGS) and the National Genealogical Society (NGS). The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was merged with the NGS in the summer of 2019.
