Garden Island Indian Cemetery Explained

Garden Island Indian Cemetery
Location:Garden Island[1]
Coordinates:45.8028°N -85.5083°W
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Marker:building
Mapframe-Zoom:13
Mapframe-Caption:Interactive map
Architecture:"Spirit houses"
Added:February 17, 1978
Refnum:78001494
Designated Other1:Michigan State Historic Site
Designated Other1 Date:July 26, 1973[2]
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom

The Garden Island Indian Cemetery, also designated 20CX12, is an archaeological site and Ojibwe burial site. located on Garden Island in Charlevoix County, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The Indian Cemetery holds about 3500 graves, and has been called the largest Indian cemetery in the United States. Spirit houses mark some graves, headstones mark others, and the older graves are unmarked. Most graves date from 1851 to 1935.

Notes and References

  1. The NRIS lists the Garden Island Indian Cemetery as "Address Restricted." However, references place it on Garden Island. Geo-coordinates are approximate.
  2. Web site: State of Michigan . Garden Island Indian Cemetery (20CX12) . 2009 . June 26, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120511130017/http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/3820.htm . May 11, 2012 .