Chicago City Cemetery
"The Chicago City Cemetery opened at the southern end of what
is now Lincoln Park
in 1843. As the result of a lawsuit filed against the city, the
cemetery was
closed to further burials in 1866. Bodies and monuments were
being removed as
late as 1899.
Across the street, the Roman Catholic Church opened the Catholic
Cemetery, south
of North Avenue at Dearborn, in 1843. The burials there were
affected by the same
lawsuit in 1866. Removals from the Catholic Cemetery ceased ca.
1881.
The land for the first Jewish burial ground in the state of
Illinois, was purchased
in the city cemetery in 1846.
Many of the removals from the City Cemetery went to Graceland,
Oakwoods, and Rosehill
cemeteries in Chicago.
Bodies from the Catholic Cemetery were moved to Calvary Cemetery
in Evanston, and
St. Boniface Cemetery in Chicago.
Bodies from the Jewish burial ground are now located in Mt.
Mayriv Cemetery in Chicago.
A question often posed is, 'Were all of the bodies removed?' --
Not likely..."
The lawsuit that forced the closing of these cemeteries was
filed because people
felt that these cemeteries were too close to Lake Michigan and
would spoil the
drinking water for the city.
Contributed by Helen Sclair
