Ypsilanti had earlier cemeteries, established in the first half of the 19th century. However, by 1850 the city was expanding eastward, and in 1858 Mayor Chauncey Joslin proposed that the city purchase the plot that subsequently became Highland Cemetery. However, this move failed, likely over objections to using tax money to purchase the land. However, in 1863, a group of citizens formed the Highland Cemetery Association for the purpose of establishing a cemetery. They hired James L. Glen to draw up a plan, and in 1864 purchased the land and dedicated Highland Cemetery. By 1880, nearly 550 burial plots had been spoken for. In 1880, the ornamental gate was constructed in the front of the cemetery, and in 1888 a Richardsonian Romanesque chapel was built in the center of the cemetery. In 1901, additional property to the south was added to the cemetery. A short time later the entrance lodge was moved, and fieldstone piers added. A mausoleum was built in 1925. Further portions of the cemetery were platted as needed, and Highland Cemetery remains the primary burial place for the city of Ypsilanti. It is still operated by the Highland Cemetery Association.
Description
Highland Cemetery covers about 50 acres, with a rolling, sloped topography which includes knolls, valleys, and ravines. A number of structures dating from 1880-1925 are included on the grounds. As designed by Glen, the cemetery features curved paths through stands of trees. The cemetery is the site of the Starkweather Memorial Chapel which was commissioned by Mary Ann Starkweather to honor her husband. The chapel, an example of Richardsonian Romanesque style, was designed by George D. Mason and completed in 1889. There is also a Civil War memorial on the cemetery grounds, which an inscription says was also presented by Mary Ann Starkweather. The entrance to the cemetery is located at 943 N. River St. The cemetery is located in a wooded area of oak, pine, cedar and willow trees. The gates at the cemetery entrance are constructed of decorative wrought iron and measure high and wide. The Highland Cemetery Association, a non-profit cemetery company founded in 1863, owns and operates the cemetery. In 2009, the cemetery began sponsoring an ice cream social after the annual Ypsilanti Memorial Day parade which terminates at the cemetery.
