Introduction

Oakland Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Hutchinson, Minnesota. Oakland Cemetery is under the direct supervision of the Mayor and City Council of Hutchinson. The City's goal is to make Oakland Cemetery a quiet and beautiful cemetery. To secure this effect, investments in land and facilities have been made. To continue the improvement and preservation of the appearance of Oakland Cemetery, the cooperation of all lot owners is required. For the mutual protection of every lot owner in Oakland Cemetery, the City has adopted rules and regulations. All properties are subject to the same rules and regulations. Amendments or alterations to the rules are adopted by the City from time to time. Property documents make references to amendments and alterations to the rules and regulations and the latest rules are enforced for all properties.

History

Oakland Cemetery was established in 1857 upon the death of a four-year old boy. Legend has it that the mother of the boy would not allow him to be buried out on the prairie where his grave may be disturbed.
Records show that there were two other burials in 1857, the first in September and the others in November. At that time, the cemetery was on the outer edge of the community, far removed from any populated area. Through the years, as Hutchinson has grown, Oakland Cemetery has gradually been surrounded, primarily by residential areas. However, it has not lost the beauty and serenity that was originally found in this site, named Oakland Cemetery after the majestic oak trees which still stand overlooking the cemetery grounds.

Today

Oakland Cemetery rests on approximately 34 acres of land in the southern portion of Hutchinson. There have been more than 6,000 burials in the cemetery. The addition of a columbarium and cremation burial area has expanded the range of services now offered by Oakland Cemetery.

Chapel

Oakland Cemetery, in collaboration with a local funeral home, has constructed a moderately sized chapel. The chapel, located on the cemetery grounds, is available by appointment for funeral services, visitations, or other related uses.

Grounds

Throughout the year Oakland Cemetery demands the highest standard in grounds maintenance. It is our goal to make Oakland Cemetery a quiet and beautiful cemetery, respectful of those buried there and their families.

Commemoration/Memorial Projects

There are several projects being proposed as potential commemorations. Projects may be either based on a one-time donation or on-going support, depending on the project. Some of the projects considered include:

Granite Gate Posts and Wrought Iron Gates

Granite Memorial Benches

Flags and Flagpoles

Chapel Furnishings (chairs, tables, appliances, etc.)

Pond, with or without a Fountain (Large project would require significant efforts)

Flower Beds

Tress and Shrubs

Please contact the Cemetery Supervisor for more information, or to make a designated or undesignated donation.

This is a Cemetery…

Lives are commemorated, deaths are recorded, families are reunited, memories are made tangible, and love is undisguised. This is a Cemetery.

Communities accord respect, families bestow reverence, historians seek information and our heritage is thereby enriched.

Testimonies of devotion, pride and remembrance are cast in bronze to pay warm tribute to accomplishments and to the life, not to the death, of a loved one. The Cemetery is homeland for memorials that are a sustaining source of comfort to the living.

The cemetery is a history of people, a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering – Always.

- author unknown -

Office/Contact:
The office and maintenance facility, are conveniently located on cemetery grounds.

Hours:
Chapel: Available by appointment
Office: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
Other times by special arrangements
Phone 320-234-4455

Grounds: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Other times by special arrangements