Elmwood Cemetery is the final resting place for an estimated 17,000 Centralians.  The site has been used since the Civil War, but was offically formed as a City Cemetery in 1877.  The Civil War Chapel was built in 1912 to hold funerals for Civil War veterans.  The basement of the chapel was also designed as a temproarty morgue during the winter when the ground was frozen.

Several projects are underway to record and catalog all the names of those buried in Elmwood Cemetery.  The original records were accidentally burned many years ago.  The City still has records of plot ownership, but the records of exactly who is buried where is best obtained from the headstones.  The City is working toward having all these records available on computer, in the Civil War Chapel, which will be opened as a visitor's center.  Records are expected to be available in 2009.

If you would like help locating a grave please call the Public Property foreman Pat Stedelin at (618) 533-7646.