Tower City, North Dakota

Greenwood Cemetery is one of the oldest and most historically significant sites in the Tower City, North Dakota area. Located two miles east of town in the northeastern section of Section 29, Township 140, Range 55 in Tower Township, this peaceful prairie cemetery has been the final resting place for the families who built and sustained our community for nearly a century and a half. Walking through Greenwood Cemetery is like walking through the history of Tower City itself, with headstones and monuments that tell the stories of the pioneers, farmers, veterans, and families who shaped this corner of North Dakota.

History of Greenwood Cemetery

Although Greenwood Cemetery was officially surveyed, platted, and recorded at the Cass County Register of Deeds on October 15, 1885, burials at the site began years earlier. The first recorded burial was Baby May Strand, just six months old, in 1879, the same year Tower City was founded. In those earliest days of settlement, the prairie communities of the Dakota Territory established burial grounds almost as soon as the first families arrived, a somber reminder of the hardships that accompanied life on the frontier.

In 1891, George Ellsbury, the founder of Tower City and land agent for Charlemagne Tower, deeded five acres of land to George Wasem for the purpose of establishing a permanent cemetery for the community. This generous act ensured that Greenwood Cemetery would endure as a dedicated and protected resting place for generations to come. The Greenwood Cemetery Association was later reorganized with amended by-laws on September 30, 1981, formalizing the governance structure that continues to oversee the care and maintenance of the grounds today.

Civil War Veterans

Among the approximately 700 individuals buried at Greenwood Cemetery are thirteen Civil War veterans. These men, who fought in one of the defining conflicts of American history, eventually made their way to the Dakota Territory to start new lives on the prairie after the war ended. Their presence in Greenwood Cemetery is a powerful connection between Tower City and the broader story of American history. Each of the thirteen veterans is identified by a military headstone provided by the United States government, marking their service and sacrifice for future generations to recognize and honor.

Veterans Memorial Monument

In the 1990s, a Veterans Memorial Monument was added to Greenwood Cemetery to honor not only the Civil War veterans buried there but all service members from the Tower City area who have served in the armed forces of the United States. The monument, accompanied by a flag that flies over the cemetery grounds, stands as a tribute to the courage and dedication of those who answered the call to serve. It is a place of reflection and gratitude, and it serves as the focal point for the community's annual Memorial Day observance.

Memorial Day Tradition

Each year on Memorial Day, the Tower City community gathers at Greenwood Cemetery for a program honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. This annual tradition brings together residents of all ages, from young students at Maple Valley School to longtime community members who remember the veterans personally. The Memorial Day program typically includes a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Monument, the placement of flags and flowers on veterans' graves, and a time of shared remembrance that reinforces the values of service, sacrifice, and community that Tower City holds dear. It is one of the most meaningful gatherings of the year and a reminder of the debt we owe to those who served.

Genealogy and Family History

Greenwood Cemetery is an important resource for genealogists and anyone researching family history in the Tower City area. With burials spanning from 1879 to the present, the cemetery's records document the families who settled this part of Cass County and Barnes County during the great Dakota Boom and the generations that followed. Burial records and additional information about Greenwood Cemetery can be found through online genealogy resources including Find a Grave, which provides a searchable database of interments, photographs of headstones, and memorial pages contributed by volunteers and family members.

Greenwood Cemetery Association

The Greenwood Cemetery Association oversees the ongoing care and maintenance of the cemetery grounds. The association is a nonprofit organization staffed by dedicated community volunteers who ensure that the cemetery remains a well-kept and respectful resting place. Maintaining a historic cemetery on the North Dakota prairie requires year-round attention, from spring cleanup and mowing through the summer months to preparing the grounds for the harsh winter ahead. The association welcomes inquiries about burial plots, cemetery records, and volunteer opportunities.

Contact Information

For questions about Greenwood Cemetery, burial records, plot availability, or the Memorial Day program, please contact the Greenwood Cemetery Association through Jenni Richman at 13653 33rd Street SE, Tower City, ND 58071. You can also reach out through our Contact Us page for general inquiries about Tower City.