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Welcome to the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery website. This site is brand new and there is much work to be done. We have many plans for the site and will be happy to have you follow along as those plans become reality. The "Featured Marker" and "History" pages will soon be combined and the former will will be devoted to the history and significance of a particular individual, family or marker within the Cemetery. This page will be changed on a regular basis and the preceding pages archived for future reference. The "History" page gives a detailed account of the Cemetery's past from its beginning in 1873. It remains the oldest Cemetery in Sioux Falls. The "Services Offered" area will provide information about what we can do for you. Mt. Pleasant has often been innovative and looks to the future in its planning and development. At the time when cremation was gaining in popularity while everyone was erecting Columbariums we were the first to offer a Memorial Garden scattering ground for ashes. We have also been attentive to an ever increasing interest in the "Green Funeral" which is being chosen as a burial option by a current and coming generation interested in environmental issues and the wise use of our natural resources. This option is a return to an older tradition of burial in a simple wooden casket directly into the ground. We are the only Cemetery in Sioux Falls to allow this option. While the "Contact Us" page is for general questions and comments the area for "Ancestry Inquiry" was not only included for geneological research but to bring to light an issue long forgotten by most people. Although current custom is one of purchasing burial spaces either individually or in pairs this was not always the case. The custom at the turn of the last century was to purchase blocks of spaces for the entire family. When the population began to become increasingly mobile family members moved away and in numerous instances many of these spaces were never used. As the By-laws of the Association allow the resale of spaces not used within 100 years of purchase the Cemetery founders took this into account. The Board of Directors has however decided to allow descendents to use these spaces if relationship is established. If your ancestors were early Sioux Falls residents let us check the records for you. You may find that you still own burial sites in the Cemetery. The final page is devoted to the Glidden Memorial Chapel. If there was ever a building that had its ups and downs this is truly an example. The very fact that it exists at all is a minor miracle. Through the combination of circumstance and the hard work of a dedicated few volunteers the building remains today: a significant historical edifice from Sioux Falls' history. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The Chapel seats up to fifty and its intimate interior makes it ideal for small private funerals, commital services, and weddings. The charge for use is nominal and is used entirely for the upkeep of the building. The Cemetery also gladly accepts donations for the care and maintenance of the Chapel which are tax deductible.
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