We have 3 Cemetery’s in the Anchorage Area:
- Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery: This cemetery was originally established as the Cemetery Reserve by President Woodrow Wilson in Executive Order 2242 of August 31, 1915, coincident with the federal survey of the original Anchorage Townsite. Then with Executive Order 2836 of April 10, 1918, President Wilson directed that burial land be made available, without charge, to the public. We have numerous famous people buried there including Veterans from the Spanish American War and even the Civil War. The American Legion is working on identifying other veterans buried there. Visit the site and explore some of its history.
- Angelus Memorial Park: This is a Non-Profit Cemetery that originated in the 1950’s and was originally called Evergreen Memorial Park and then in the 1960’s they changed their name to Angelus Memorial Park. They have an inside Columbarium and an outside Columbarium for cremated remains. They also own Valley Memorial Park in the Butte in the Mat-Su Valley. They obtained it from the State of Alaska when it was in Bankruptcy in the early 1980’s. The State of Alaska couldn’t operate it so they essentially gave it to Angelus Memorial Park as there were a lot of people who paid for graves plus the opening and closing costs, vault, marker, casket and complete funeral services. Angelus Memorial Park accepted to operate it and keep the grounds up, but the additional charges of the Open & Close, Vault , marker, casket and complete funeral services was going to be up to the people who owned the graves to pay at the time of death. There was a huge controversy in the courts in regards to the grave owners loosing a lot of money, but at least they still kept the graves. The other solution was for the State to operate it and nobody kept their graves, they would just lose it all. That bankruptcy forced the State of Alaska to make regulations that the funeral homes could not keep any money that they sold on a prearranged funeral. All money has to be held by a 3rd party financial company such as a bank under a CD or trust or an Burial Insurance Company such as Homesteaders Life Insurance or American Memorial Life Insurance. The funeral home is only paid upon the death of the individual.
- Ft. Richardson National Cemetery: This cemetery on the Ft. Richardson base used to be a Post Cemetery until May 28, 1981 when it became a National Cemetery. They have some notable burials such as about 235 Japanese soldiers who died during WWII during the battle of the Aleutian Islands. Major Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt and many more. As of 2012, the Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The Municipality of Anchorage is working on creating 2 more cemeteries in the next few years. One will be in Girdwood at Mt. Alyeska and the other will be in the Eagle River – Chugiak area. The Girdwood Cemetery will be a Green Cemetery and the Eagle River Cemetery will be a normal cemetery as of right now. Come back for updates as this is a continuous project.