Saint Mary's Cemetery (Peoria, Illinois)
Saint Mary's Cemetery, commonly abbreviated as St. Mary's Cemetery is a historic, privately owned Catholic cemetery, located in Peoria, Illinois. Dating back to the 1880s, the cemetery has served the vast Catholic community of Peoria.
Early history
The cemetery was officially established in 1882, following a large purchase of 40-acres by the first bishop of the Diocese of Peoria, Bishop John Lancaster Spalding. The cemetery's early history is closely associated with the surrounding St. Mary's Cathedral parish. The first burial occurred in the Fall of 1882, when Ann Devers was buried in October of that year. Her plot still remains visible today. Early burials include clergy, families, and cremations.
Construction
The original plan focuses on a 10,000-year-old naturally occurring glacial hill prairie, which remains to this day, and was designated an Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark in 2004 due to its ecological significance. Significant structural enhancements began in the early 20th century. In 1910, Charles Bourke, a prominent Peorian, funded the construction of a new main entrance. It features large stone pillars and an ornate bronze plaque which is inscribed with St. Mary. The cemetery includes large columbarium niches, cremation bench sites, and large memorials, including the Bishop's Mausoleum, also known as the Spalding Memorial. It is a large gray granite structure that houses the remains of multiple Bishops.
Notable burials
Bishop Edmund M. Dunne – 2nd Bishop of Peoria
Bishop John Lancaster Spalding – 1st Bishop of Peoria, founder of the cemetery
Delia and Newton Sheen – parents of Bishop Fulton Sheen, known for the "Sheen Trail Pilgrimage"
Father Ernest Deimel – local priest, historian