Comet Lodge Cemetery
2100 South Graham Street
Seattle, King County, Washington 98108
Also known as Georgetown Cemetery, Graham S. St. Cemetery, South Beacon Hill Cemetery, Georgetown IOOF Cemetery, and South Seattle IOOF Cemetery
Directions
The Comet Lodge Graveyard on Beacon Hill in Seattle, Washington, is situated just east of Interstate 5 on the hill’s western slope, on South Graham Street between 21st and 23rd Avenues South.
History
The cemetery was established in the 1800s as a sacred burial ground for the Duwamish Nation, followed by Seattle’s earliest settlers. Established in 1881, Comet Lodge Cemetery has since been reduced to less than half of its original five acres. It was officially dedicated in 1895 as the Comet Lodge IOOF Cemetery, representing the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
On 6 May 1908, the Comet Lodge 139 divided the cemetery into two sections. They sold the Comet Lodge Cemetery parcel to Herbert Switzer Noice, one of their Nobles, for just $1.00. Mr. Noice sold burial plots in this graveyard until 19 July 1912. It is unclear whether Mr. Noice issued deeds of trust, but it can be assumed that his customers received some form of acknowledgment for purchasing specific plots of land.
Later, Mr. Noice and his wife, Frances May Noice, filed a quitclaim deed in the presence of Melvin William Lovejoy, a Noble notary. They transferred the properties to Hiram Rand Corson, a Grand Noble of the Comet Lodge, for $10.00. This deed was recorded by Lida White Richardson on 20 November 1912, with Otto A. Case serving as the County Auditor. In the subsequent years, Noble Noice and Grand Noble Corson continued to sell burial plots in conjunction with the Comet Lodge, as documented in the Lodge burial list.
On 10 June 1927, the markers for baby graves were removed before the subdivision process. Grand Noble H.R. Corson and his wife, Eva S. Corson, subdivided and sold portions of the babies’ resting place—specifically, the northern half of Comet Cemetery—to the City of Seattle for $1.00. The City purchased these properties, understanding that they were sections of the graveyard.
Records regarding the cemetery are limited, but around 500 pioneers are estimated to be buried here, along with an unknown number of native Duwamish people. Burials ceased in the 1930s, and over the years, homes and streets have been built over many of the burial plots as the neighborhood expanded. Over time, the maintenance and ownership of the cemetery have been passed between the city, local civic groups, relatives of Comet Lodge residents, and nearby neighbors. Much of the property fell into disrepair for a long time and became overrun by brambles until the city agreed to provide essential grounds maintenance.
On 29 November 1938, the Superior Court of Washington for King County issued a judgment and decree of foreclosure against M.L. Noice, deceased. This case involves graveyard property and specifies, “Less streets and less property sold for burial purposes.” The foreclosure is unjustified because a cemetery cannot be subject to foreclosure. Additionally, this judgment pertains to property that does not exist.
On 20 December 1938, a Judgment and Decree of Foreclosure was issued in the Superior Court of Washington for the City of Seattle vs. Unknown, concerning the graveyard. This foreclosure granted Seattle ownership of the Comet Lodge Cemetery. However, there is no record of any public or private notifications regarding the vacating or reinterment of the site, as required by law. King County claims that the graveyard has been abandoned for “many years,” despite records showing that Jewel Lundin was buried there just one year before the foreclosure. There have been no documented instances of our city’s ancestors leaving or abandoning their final resting place. Following the foreclosure, Seattle assumed responsibility for the cemetery.
In 1986, Seattle rezoned the Historical Cemetery, allowing for retail space and single-family residences.
The monuments, headstones, and grave markers, which are rich with history, now stand as cenotaphs marking nothing after the burial grounds were bulldozed by the City of Seattle on 2 November 1987—ironically, on the Day of the Dead, also known as All Souls Day. Only about 20 headstones remain today, and it is doubtful they are still in their original positions. The Comet IOOF Lodge in Georgetown has long been closed, and the cemetery has experienced periods of abandonment, vandalism, and restoration. Many tombstones have been broken, stolen, or returned to the earth.
Comet Lodge Cemetery is now a serene area filled with green grass and large trees that offer shade for those laid to rest there. Unfortunately, records of the burials have been lost, and only the information available here remains. The cemetery spans approximately two acres and overlooks the northern end of Boeing Field/King County Airport, with Georgetown located to the north.
This story eerily reminds me of the movie Poltergeist, particularly regarding this cemetery and many others.
Additional information:
Haunted Places: Comet Lodge Cemetery
A Changing of Worlds: The Liminal Space of Comet Lodge Cemetery
Visit the Comet Lodge Cemetery Website
