Visiting Zion
Located on South Township Road just before the
South Walnut Street crossroad is Zion Memorial Cemetery and Mausoleum. The
property covers about 20 acres, 11 of which are developed. The
old section is mostly filled and now there are only infrequent
burials in remaining family plots. The new section is currently
being used and has been added to over the years with growth to
the north and east and a new mausoleum was dedicated in 1989.
The cemetery is over one hundred years old, organized
by the Zion Cemetery Association in January of 1897. The
first burial was that of Christian Wintermantel, the individual
who originally proposed the cemetery on January 19, 1897. The
cemetery was owned by the Canby Evangelical United Brethren Church
until it became too labor-intensive to maintain, and was handed
over to the City in 1937. Rules and regulations were adopted
on January 10, 1938 and it has remained in City hands since that
time. A fire destroyed some of the paperwork and over the
years, the City has reconstructed the records.
Our present sexton, Ken Robinson of KR Maintenance,
is on duty full time at Zion. He has reestablished the Memorial
Gardens and has added a lovely waterfall and reflection pond with
benches for quiet meditation. He has been diligent to mow,
prune, paint, remove damaged trees, and open up areas that have
been overgrown. For the past four years, Ken has planted
a garden and shares his harvest with some of Zion's frequent visitors
who still long for fresh produce, but can no longer plant a garden
of their own; the area even attracts picnickers.
Last update:
March 8, 2010
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