Highland Cemetery

Ypsilanti had earlier cemeteries, established in the first half of the 19th century. However, by 1850 the city was expanding eastward, and in 1858 Mayor Chauncey Joslin proposed that the city purchase the plot that subsequently became Highland Cemetery. However, this move failed, likely over objections to using tax money to purchase the land. However, in 1863, a group of citizens formed the Highland Cemetery Association for the purpose of establishing a cemetery. They hired James L. Glenn to draw up a plan, and in 1864 purchased the land and dedicated Highland Cemetery. By 1880, nearly 550 burial plots had been spoken for. In 1880, the ornamental gate was constructed in the front of the…

Highland Cemetery covers about 80 acres, with a rolling, sloped topography which includes knolls, valleys, and ravines. The cemetery is located in a wooded area of oak, pine, cedar and willow trees. The gates at the cemetery entrance are constructed of decorative wrought iron and measure 10 ft high and 81 in wide. The cemetery also includes two Civil War memorials. One, known as the Ypsilanti Civil War Memorial, features an inscription stating it was donated by Mary Ann Starkweather. The other, the Ypsilanti Black Civil War Monument, honors the contributions of United States Colored Troops (USCT). Around 40 graves within the cemetery are believed to belong to Black Civil War veterans. The…