Des Moines' Woodland Cemetery, first established in 1848, honors local history with a 175th anniversary party

Woodland Cemetery's local prominence stretches back 175 years, the eternal resting place for many of Iowa's most important figures. From an abolitionist to a relative of a Revolutionary War veteran to the founder of one of the state's biggest cities, the 65 acres of land are rich in history.

First established in 1848, Woodland Cemetery celebrated its milestone birthday Saturday with a ceremony anchored by historical speeches and reenactments, guiding visitors through the graveyard's many years of relevancy.

"Today, we're doing this event that celebrates the city's role in being a part of not only interments but history," said Ganesh Ganpat, parks and recreation supervisor for the City of Des Moines. "There are more than 50,000 interments here in this cemetery."

The cemetery first began as a five acre plot, but quickly more than quadrupled in size to 36 acres by 1864. It is situated in the heart of Des Moines, just off of Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway and Woodland Avenue.

An important piece of the story

The cemetery's significance is rich in history, home to several notable Iowans, such as: Deliah Webster, a teacher and abolitionist who was the first woman jailed for helping slaves through the underground railroad; John Fletcher Ankeny, one of the founders of Ankeny, Iowa; and Catherine Cox, a daughter of an American Revolution soldier according to Daughters of the American Revolution. The land is also home to the late Hoyt Sherman, Ebenezer J. Ingersoll. and Drake University founder, George Thomas Carpenter.

Karla Wright, a descendant of Ankeny, said the cemetery's role is to help retain and tell the stories of those who have passed.

"One of the main purposes will be when we talk about their descendants and how important they were," Wright said. "John Fletcher Ankeny had four daughters. They were very influential in the development of Des Moines."

Kat Rinken, a history teacher for Des Moines Public Schools, said she gives tours detailing the lives of the women buried at the cemetery and spoke to individuals perusing the cemetery near Annie Savery's mausoleum.

Savery was a women's suffragist in Des Moines during the late 1860s and early 1870s, and was on track to gain national attention, according to Rinken. Prominent members of the suffragist movement locally denounced Savery because she supported nationally recognized suffragist Victoria Woodhull, who advocated for the free love movement. Woodhull sought a separation of the states from sexual and romantic matters such as marriage and divorce.

Women like Savery are the backbone of the nearly 200-year-old cemetery.

"It is important to me that we do showcase the women that are in this cemetery because I think so much of their stories are not given enough attention," Rinken said.

A trip back in time

Tom Clegg, an Iowa Gold Star Museum board member, dressed as a World War I infantry officer Saturday to help illustrate soldier's stories.

"Here are 40 Des Moines area residents who are combat dead from World War I; they all gave their lives in service," Clegg said. "They were interred originally in France; their families then led an effort by Cpt. [Edward] Fleur's widow Minne [...] to have their remains recovered and then interred here in this place of honor — in the historic Woodland Cemetery."

The average age of the soldiers was 23 years, and Clegg said they represented every branch of the military.

"It's a cliche to say that freedom isn't free, but we have to remember, nor has it ever been paid for completely," Clegg said. "It's paid for by installment by each generation."

Wade Fowler, a headstone restorationist based in Des Moines, restored a headstone as onlookers walked by Saturday. He has built a life around keeping history alive under the moniker Millennial Stone Cleaner.

"I travel around the country doing conservation of headstones, so we're here today at the grave of a headstone that was ready to fall over," Fowler said.

Fowler repairs the graves and tells their stories on social media. His subject, Saturday, was a former Danish who came to the United States and fought in the Civil War.

"He traveled through Iowa at some point in time and passed away in San Francisco," Fowler said. "That person has a unique story just as you have a story."

Biong M. Biong is a reporting intern for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at bbiong@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Woodland Cemetery celebrates 175 years in Des Moines