Cemeteries of Green Garden Township

There are five cemeteries in Green Garden Township dating back to the early decades of settlement. Each of these contains the resting places of significant farming families of Green Garden.

No cemeteries are shown on the 1862 township plat map. Only Union Cemetery and St. Peter's Cemetery are shown on the 1873 and 1893 maps, but the 1909 map shows all five cemeteries.

In spite of this, the oldest cemetery is apparently Twining Cemetery in Section 17 on Dralle Road. Although not shown on the plat maps before 1909, this cemetery has been in use since the 1850s, judging by the oldest surviving grave markers. This cemetery has a decorative metal entrance gate.

Union Cemetery in Section 14 on Manhattan-Monee Road has been in use since about 1860. The German Baptist Society built a church and parsonage near the cemetery around 1861; however, the cemetery likely predates these buildings. Markers dating from the 1860s still survive at the cemetery. This cemetery was designated a Will County Historic Landmark in 2002. This is the only landmark site in Green Garden Township.

St. Peter's Cemetery in Section 12 on Joliet Road is shown on the township plat map from 1873 and likely dates to the 1870s. The oldest legible markers have dates from the 1880s. St. Peter's German Evangelical Church was originally located just north of the cemetery at the northwest corner of Section 12; however, the congregation relocated to Frankfort in 1916, and no church buildings remain on the site.

Rose Hill Cemetery in Section 4 on Stuenkel Road has likely been in use since at least the 1870s. The oldest legible marker is dated 1880. This cemetery was associated with the First Methodist church, erected just to the east in 1871.

Green Garden Cemetery in Section 19 on U.S. Route 45 likely dates to the 1880s. The adjacent Methodist church was established in 1885. This cemetery, also known as Green Garden Greenview Cemetery, contains more substantial granite markers than the other cemeteries and relatively few limestone or marble markers. The oldest legible markers have dates from the 1890s. Markers dating to as recently as the 1920s are inscribed in German.

All have monuments fabricated of fine materials: granite, limestone, and marble. Many of the oldest markers are marble and limestone.

Union Cemetery