Thousands and thousands of people drive this little section of Lansing every single day. It's the section of Miller Road, between Cedar and Pennsylvania. Many who drive this section undoubtedly notice a few gravestones sitting on top of a hill, blocked off by a concrete wall on the north side of the road. Are you one of the many who wondered just what lies beyond that wall? Well, it just so happens it's – what is believed to be – the oldest cemetery in Lansing. It's the North Cemetery.

Why is it named “North” Cemetery, when it's on the south side of the city?

North Cemetery is one of three municipal graveyards; the original name was the North Delhi Cemetery. In 1852, the Delhi Township board shelled out a mere $55 for that hunk of land. Joshua North was the landowner, but once the land officially became a cemetery, only members of the North family and their best friends were being buried there (thus the name 'North' Cemetery). Evidently, some of these burials were not marked and those plots remain unknown. This original section is the oldest, and can be found at the previously-mentioned south end of the cemetery, on Miller Road.

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The City of Lansing took over upkeep responsibilities for the cemetery in 1960. “Delhi” was dropped and the name was shortened to 'North Cemetery'. Once the cemetery became annexed, the first burial afterward took place on January 23, 1961.

The cemetery does not have plots available for the public – none for regular people like you and me. The only ones who can get planted there now are ones with transfers of ownership or those who have inherited burial rights.

Lansing's other two municipal cemeteries are Evergreen and Mt. Hope.

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