- - - - HISTORY OF GRACELAWN CEMETERY - - - -

OKLAHOMA COUNTY OK

The first Edmond Cemetery was located on school land for five years because of a federal law that prohibited burial on public lands. This cemetery was located near Fink Park on Second Street and extended to Fifth Street. In 1895, territorial officials decreed that Edmond could not have a cemetery on school land.

Lee M. and Olive M. Rannabarger deeded twenty acres to the town of Edmond for cemetery purposes April 12, 1895. Trustees of the town of Edmond were C. B. Haney, president; J. H. Snider, Joseph Rue, George Kline, and F. J. Dawson. Each paid $500.00 to purchase the land. The deed was recorded in Oklahoma County Book 18, p. 495, October 10, 1899. By the fall of 1895, the cemetery was plotted and most of the individuals buried on the school land were removed to Gracelawn.

The original area of Gracelawn was laid out in a wagon wheel design in honor of the 1889ers who settled Edmond. Plot prices ranged from $5.00 to $12.50. A section was set aside for St. John the Baptist's Catholic Church to utilize and a section was set aside for the poor. The cemetery also maintains two separate Babyland areas. The oldest Babyland is located in Block 30 and contains the final resting spot for babies, children, and a few adults who passed away in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, and the very early 1980's. The second Babyland is located in Block 26 and has been utilized as the final resting spot strictly for babies and children since the 1980's. This area is currently still used.

The cemetery was known as Fair Lawn between 1897 and 1903. There are more than 6500 people buried in the cemetery. A canvass of tombstones in 1963 listed only 2,970 stones.

In June 1933, the Edmond City Council voted to accept Gracelawn into the city limits. By late 1937, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration {FERA} announced it would provide funds to construct a rock wall on the east and south sides of the cemetery. Unskilled WPA {Works Progress Administration} laborers completed the wall in 1940.

NOTE: Two railroad workers were killed September 17, 1886 north of East 33rd near the railroad track in Edmond. They were buried beside the railroad where they died. To see the tombstone, you must park at 33rd and walk north about 100 feet.

{Information obtained from OK County Cemetery Index - compiled by OK County HCE Genealogy Group, page 39.}