City of Elkhart Cemeteries

Welcome to the City of Elkhart Cemeteries.
The mission of the Cemetery Department is to provide a dignified and serene environment where families and the community can honor, celebrate , and remember their loved ones.  We are dedicated to preserving and maintaining a peaceful resting place, offering compassionate service, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the cemeteries for future generations.

Our History

The City of Elkhart’s cemeteries reflect more than a century of community heritage, honoring generations of local families, veterans, and civic leaders. The city’s earliest burial grounds date back to the 1830s, when small pioneer plots served early settlers. As the community grew, Grace Lawn Cemetery was formally established in 1864 to meet the city’s needs, becoming the final resting place for many of Elkhart’s founding residents and Civil War veterans.

In 1908, James A. Rice deeded land to the city that would become Rice Cemetery—the largest and most active burial ground today—known for its historic chapel, Civil War monument, and landscaped grounds. Prairie Street Cemetery, originally founded by the Mennonite community in the late 1800s, became part of the city’s system in 1998 and continues to serve local families.

Together, these cemeteries preserve Elkhart’s history, honoring the lives and legacies of those who helped shape the community.