Uncovering Old Cemeteries
In 2006, the Historical Society researched and located two local cemeteries dating to pioneer days,
the Riverview Cemetery above Northport and the Old Boundary Cemetery.
the Riverview Cemetery above Northport and the Old Boundary Cemetery.
Riverview Cemetery
Located a mile south of Northport and overlooking the Columbia River, the Riverview Cemetery dates back to the late 1890's and was in use for only a few years. It has approximately 25 burials and only a few headstones remain. The cemetery was cleaned up and brought to the attention of the county so that it might be protected.
Burial records [1]
Blacklaws, W.F. 2/17/1899
Brooks, infant son 9/16/1899 Cloud, infant 3/20/1899 Carlisle, Mrs. Marian 4/16/1902 (57 yrs) Domitrovich, Mrs. Peter 9/ 1/1902 Ellis, Mary Lucy 9/ 6/1899 Eddon, John 8/25/1900 Ericson, Gabriel 8/ 8/1899 Farrar, Bessie 4/20/1900 Fernengel, Martin 7/20/1899 Johnson, Fred 9/13/1902 Lane, Mark 10/19/1902 Leonard, Mrs. John 1/17/1901 |
Lindsly, John B. 5/21/1903
Martin, Mrs. Elizabeth 1/31/1899 Martin, Fernengal 7/26/1899 Parsons, S.J. (infant son) 4/ 8/1903 Redmond, Jerry 5/ 1/1902 Schmidt, Martin 7/20/1899 Sommer, Henry P. 8/ 5/1926 Springsted, L.P. 7/ 3/1901 Wilcox, W.H. 2/11/1901 Wilson, A.L. 11/15/1900 Wilson, Cal 10/22/1899 Yoo-mi 3/ 4/1903 |
Old Boundary Cemetery
Located on the Columbia River at the Canadian border, Boundary, Washington began as a construction camp of the Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway while the Pend Oreille River bridge was being built in 1893. It "lived six months as a town, boasted a population of twelve hundred, and had run wide open with saloons, dance halls, and gaming tables until the construction crews moved on. Then the pianos fell silent and the buildings were knocked down for their lumber." [2]
A greatly reduced population held on until 1921 when the Post Office moved to New Boundary a mile south. |
[3]
In February of 2006, the Historical Society located the abandoned Boundary cemetery and sought permission of the Federal Government, who owned the land, to clean it up.
Having been informed of the cemetery's existence, the Department of Homeland Security investigated and undertook preserving this piece of local history.
[1] Northeast Washington Genealogical Society
[2] Inland Empire, John Fahey, University of Washington Press, 1965 p.134
[3] Stevens County Historical Society
[2] Inland Empire, John Fahey, University of Washington Press, 1965 p.134
[3] Stevens County Historical Society