Huron Indian Cemetery
The Huron Indian Cemetery formally renamed the Wyandot National Burying Ground, is located in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. Its entrance sets off the east side of 7th St. between Armstrong and Ann Ave. A circular cement/stone bench surrounding a tree, sets curbside just in front of a monument displaying eleven metal plaques telling the history and origins of the Wyandot Indians. I’ve worked across the street for 18 years and not once have I given this place a single thought before today. I did a little research before entering this cemetery and I’ll just say its history runs deep. I was so inspired after visiting, it pushed me to dig deeper. I feel that I cannot write a paper on this cemetery without going into its detailed history of events placing it on lists such as, the National Register of Historic Places (1971), Register of Historic Kansas Places (1977) and named as a National Historic Landmark (2016). …show more content…
During their journey in 1843, while camped alongside the Missouri river illness struck causing several deaths between 60-100 members. The deceased were carried across the river to a hilltop overlooking the Kansas and Missouri rivers where the Huron Indian cemetery was established. In 1844 another illness resulted in over 100 more burials in the cemetery. Wyandots were granted the land with the cemetery in its boundaries eventually becoming Wyandotte County. It is said that between 1844 and 1855 there were at the least 400 deceased buried in the cemetery where graves cannot be found because there were no tombstones placed in those days. In 1855 the tribe was dissolved and its members became American citizens. Members wanting to continue to be part of the tribe were moved to Oklahoma and those remaining in Kansas would lose their tribal