Cemeteries

In Illinois, townships are often the caretakers of cemeteries that have been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. This is true in DeKalb Township where we maintain two cemeteries: Evergreen Cemetery and Oakwood Cemetery.

Jake Smith is our Cemetery Grounds Manager. Countless hours are put in by Jake and other Road District employees on mowing, pruning, weeding, and tree trimming to keep our cemeteries looking presentable and honorable for those resting there.

Burial Lots

Burial lots are only available in Oakwood Cemetery. Information and availability can be obtained by contacting Jodie Peterson at the Township office.

Evergreen Cemetery

Prior to the township taking ownership, this cemetery was operated by various entities throughout its nearly 165-year history. Evergreen Cemetery at 724 South Seventh Street is DeKalb’s oldest, dating from 1855.
Evergreen Cemetery sign

It contains the last resting places of City of DeKalb’s co-founder, Lewis Huntley; the patriarch of the Gurler family, Benjamin Gurler; blacksmith and machinist Phineas Vaughan; early merchants John M. Goodell, Basil Ruby, Willard B. King and Robert Newitt; farmer Elisha Foster, whose old brick house stands atop the hill on Annie Glidden Road south of Taylor Street; and the parents of barbed wire inventor Joseph F. Glidden.

Evergreen is also the final resting place of several soldiers who severed in the War of 1812, The Civil War, and the Spanish American War. As this part of the restoration project was being conducted, the Township was able to unearth the graves of military veterans which had been buried over time.

Evergreen Cemetery
Evergreen Cemetery
Evergreen Cemetery

Oakwood Cemetery

Oakwood Cemetery is DeKalb’s second oldest cemetery, dating from 1865, and was originally called Oakland, but the name was changed in early 1889.

Prior to 1865, there was no cemetery serving the DeKalb community. It had long been common practice to bury deceased family either on their own property or in places where it was safe to do so. Most would later be moved to cemeteries when they came into existence.

Oakwood Cemetery entrance
Oakwood Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery

Restoration

DeKalb Township and DeKalb Township Road District have worked tirelessly to maintain and restore the cemeteries entrusted to us. We take this duty seriously, as we maintain the final resting place and the heritage of the residents of DeKalb Township. Our hope is that future generations can reflect on the history of DeKalb by strolling through the these cemeteries, which offer abundant information about those who came before us.