Chanhassen Pioneer Cemetery

History


The first meeting of the Chanhassen Pioneer Cemetery Association was held on January 20, 1861. The association was made up of persons who planned to be laid to rest in the Pioneer Cemetery, or who had family members already buried at that location. It was their responsibility to keep the cemetery records, maintain the grounds and tend to the graves. At that first meeting, the price of a lot was set at $1.00 and the labor to dig a grave was set at 75 cents per day. The last association meeting was held in 1982. In 1987, the cemetery maintenance and records were turned over to the City of Chanhassen as fewer and fewer descendants were interested in maintaining the cemetery. The city installed the new arch and driveway, straightened some of the monuments and repaired concrete aprons.

Expansion


On November 24, 2014, the City Council approved the final development plans for expansion of the Pioneer Cemetery. This included approval of the landscaping plan and the initial columbarium layout. The expansion to the cemetery took place in 2015 and added 200 graves to the site.

Graves


The size of each grave is 3 feet 9 inches by 10 feet. There are 8 graves in each lot (exception: the lots closest to the north property line contain 4 graves each). Property pins showing the lot numbers are located in the northeast corner of each lot.

Burials


Unless noted otherwise, a maximum of two burials are allowed per grave:
  • 1 casket and 1 cremation urn*
  • 2 cremation urns*
*Cremation urns do not need to be placed in a vault.

Monuments


Any type of monument is allowed (flat, slanted, or upright); however, all monuments must have a 4-inch concrete apron, and only one monument is allowed per grave. The city must be notified to mark the monument location on the grave prior to installation (location cost included with Interment Fee).

Fees Collected by the City

*The city collects the fees for the grave purchase. The interment and excavation fees are typically collected by the funeral director for later disbursement to the city and excavator, respectively.
Type of Fee
 Resident Non-Resident
Grave Fee*
 $400.00 $600.00
Interment Fee $150.00 $150.00

Other Fees

*The city will contact the excavator and schedule the excavation. Although not paid directly to the city, excavation fees are mandatory and due prior to or at the time of burial.
Type of Fee Caskets Urns & Infant Burials
Excavation Fee* $550 (may be higher in winter) $375 (may be higher in winter)

Location

The Chanhassen Pioneer Cemetery is located at 8151 Galpin Boulevard.

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