Brooklyn-Crystal Cemetery Association                          "Since 1863"

Copies of the BC Newsletter are usually available at the grounds mailbox.

HISTORY notes from a brochure that dated from 1936: "In the early days of the Civil War, the pioneers living north of Minneapolis, in the Brooklyn and Crystal Lake Townships (an area that includes Brooklyn Center, Crystal and Robbinsdale), felt the need to provide a final resting place for their loved ones.  On November 20, 1863, a group of citizens of Brooklyn and Crystal Lake Townships met to consider the formation of a cemetery association.  Plans were finalized on December 4, 1863.  The initial tract of land where the Cemetery is now located was purchased from Thomas P. Hill for $30.00.  On September 1, 1896, an aditional tract was purchased from Adolph Hartkopf, which provided the present-day property size."  The history of the cemetery and the memory of those who now rest there, is a gift to anyone interested in the early days of the area.

CONTACT Information:Mr. Roland Wenz @ 763-497-3989 or by mail to:11775 36th Circle NE, St. Michael, MN 55376 Grave Sites are available and you're invited to call Roland for current details.  Donations are very welcome and help fund our expenses and grounds maintenance.  Please send  your tax deductible conribution to the address above, payable to Brooklyn-Crystal Cemetery Association.    Thank you!

Current Board Members (5-2008) include:  Roland Wenz (President), Mary Blesi (VP), Marlene Sorenson (Secretary), Scott Bartlett (Treasurer), Melvin Cook, (Trustee) and Dave Sorenson (Trustee).

The Brooklyn-Crystal Cemetery Association is in the process of developing a current list of all owners to enable the ability to maintain contact and provide information to owners regarding your cemetery association.  Please send your name, address and phone number to:  BCCA, c/o Mr. Roland Wenz at the address shown above.  If you know the LOT and GRAVE numbers, please include that information, otherwise you can call Roland Wenz to help determine that information.

The management of our Assocation is the responsibility of a Governing Board consisting of volunteers, elected for three-year terms by the Association Members.  Positions include a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and two Trustees. Our annual meeting is conducted on the first Monday of May.  Each year the meeting time, place and date is announced via the local newspaper media for three consecutive weeks prior to the meeting.  Membership includes all families who have ownership of at least one gravesite at the Cemetery.  Members are encouraged to attend the annual meeting.

LOCATION of the Brooklyn-Crystal Cemetery is between 72nd and 73rd on West Broadway in Brooklyn Park.  If you go to a map service like Google and input the following latitude and longitude it should show you the location: 45.08667, -93.37444

Brooklyn Crystal Cemetery is the resting place for many early pioneers of this area, and also for their descendants.  Over the years it has become quite difficult to identify the living owners of many of the gravesites.  Ownership within each family, passes to the surviving spouse or oldest living child or any other designated family member or person.  Owners often sell or donate back to the Association, gravesites which they determine will not be used by the family.

Updated June 2008

Page courtesy of Brooklyn Historical Society, celebrating the history of the area of Brooklyn Township (and Crystal Lake Township), in Hennepin County, State of Minnesota with an emphasis on the cities of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center.

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