Title Info: Old Pioneer Cemetery

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Introduction This database is an index to the Old Pioneer Cemetery located in Coulee City, Grant County, Washington.

There are 61 names listed.

Location
Lat: 47° 37' 35"N, Lon: 119° 16' 31"W
T25N R28E Section 34

Directions
This cemetery is located on one acre of land about one mile northeast of Coulee City, west of Hwy 2 about 1/2 mile, on 37 NE Road.

Transcription Notes
The cemetery is not maintained and was fully overgrown in weeds. The remaining headstones, mostly the upright type and quite visible, were surprisingly easy to read. It is evident that many headstones are missing. The fence which surrounds this cemetery is also down and in need of repair.

I have also included burial records from 1906-1924, which I recently acquired from a publication printed by the Grant County Genealogical Society a few years ago, and used with permission.

According to the Grant County Journal, May 25, 1967, this cemetery was in bad need of repair. A group organized and restored it, eventually dedicated it on Memorial Day 1976. Up to that time the cemetery was nameless and not recorded by deed or plat in either Grant or Douglas counties although it was estimated to have started about 1889. Burials ceased because of the high water table causing the graves to fill with seep water and then sinking. It seems to once again be forgotten and in need of repair. Gordon Steinmetz, owner of the land abutting the cemetery, says the reason the cemetery was closed is because the rocky soil made it too difficult to dig graves.

I read this Old Pioneer Cemetery on July 12, 1999. I have returned twice, but find no improvements have taken place. Last edited September 27, 2005. ~ Maggie Rail

Abbreviations
s/w=stone with
c/o=child of
h/o=husband of
w/o=wife of
b. =born
s/o=son of
P=plot
Citation: Database: Old Pioneer Cemetery 1889-2005. ONLINE 2010. Washington Secretary of State. This index, cemetery description, and transcription notes were donated to the Washington Historical Records Project by Maggie Rail, August 2009.

Available: http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov