Calvary Cemetery in Seattle
5041 35th Ave. NE
Seattle, King County, Washington 98105
206-522-0996
Also known as Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Directions
The cemetery is square-shaped and bounded by N.E. 55th Street to the north, 35th Avenue N.E. to the east, N.E. 50th Street to the south, and 30th Avenue N.E. to the west.
History
In 1884, Father Emmanuel Demanez, the chaplain of Providence Hospital, purchased 40 acres of land from homesteader John J. Jordan, who had settled on the property in 1872. This purchase also included the lot on Capitol Hill that would become Holy Cross Cemetery, the first Catholic cemetery in Seattle.
On 1 December 1889, Father Louis Schram, the Vicar General for Bishop Junger of the Diocese of Nisqually in the Washington Territory, blessed and formally dedicated Calvary Cemetery as a diocesan cemetery. In 1904, the land was officially platted as a cemetery. Before streets were developed, caskets and mourners traveled by train to Ravenna Station on the Seattle, Lake Shore, and Eastern Railway to reach the burial ground. Since then, more than 45,000 people have been laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery.
A stroll through the 40-acre grounds of Calvary Cemetery offers a glimpse into Seattle’s past. The oldest burial at Calvary is that of William Boyd, who died in 1859. Like many other pioneers of Seattle, Boyd’s resting place has changed locations over the years. He was initially buried in the old Seattle Cemetery, now known as Denny Park, at the foot of Queen Anne Hill. Boyd’s remains were later moved to Holy Cross Cemetery on Capitol Hill, which is now the site of Seattle Prep High School. Starting in 1905, all burials from Holy Cross, including Boyd’s, were relocated to Calvary.
The cemetery contains the graves of many individuals who made contributions locally and globally, including Union and Confederate veterans of the Civil War, veterans of the Spanish-American War, World War I, the Boxer Rebellion, and refugees from the Vietnam War. Many pioneer loggers from the Woodsmen of the World fraternal organization are buried here, with their motto, “dum tacit, clamat” (While he is silent, he shouts), inscribed on their monuments.
Calvary Cemetery is also the final resting place for priests of the Archdiocese of Seattle and members of various communities of religious women. Alongside numerous notable figures in Seattle’s history are countless ordinary men and women who married, raised families, worked hard, and passed down their Catholic faith to their children and grandchildren. All of these individuals contribute to the rich tapestry of the Church.
The Calvary Catholic Cemetery is a sacred space for prayer and quiet reflection. It invites us to remember all those who have gone before us and is marked with the sign of faith.
Visit the Calvary Cemetery in Seattle Website
