The City of Seward's cemeteries are located in two areas: outside the city on Salmon Creek Road and within the city at Coolidge Drive and the Seward Highway. The former refers to Woodlawn Cemetery which is considered to be historic and not open to new burials (SCC 7.20.025). The latter refers to the "City cemetery" in which it is actually a group of public and private cemeteries. The City had received a patent in 1930 to US Survey 1759, a 40-acre tract known as the Cemetery Reserve. Subsequently, the City deeded one-acre tracts to several fraternal organizations which make up the following cemeteries near the City cemetery: the Masons Cemetery, the Oddfellows Cemetery, and the Pioneers Cemetery. The American Legion Cemetery started in the mid-1930's. More than 27 of the original acres making up the Cemetery Reserve have been given over to public uses such as electric generators, substation, water wells, the elementary school, ballfield, and streets. Over the years, the City, private contractors, volunteers, nonprofit organizations and fraternal groups have been involved in ownership, management, and maintenance of our cemeteries. 

Woodlawn Cemetery

This historic cemetery is located on Salmon Creek Road. It was acquired by the City in 1916 from James Stewart and consisted of Lots 1 and 2, Block 2 of the Stewart Subdivision. This six-acre parcel was then platted as the Woodlawn Cemetery. The north half includes a dedication of what is now Salmon Creek Road and the creation of 32 blocks with a total of 437 grave sites. The south was left unsubdivided. Sometime in the 1920's nearby Salmon Creek shifted its course, causing the water table to rise within a few feet of the ground surface. Woodlawn was abandoned in the early 1930's with many remains being relocated to the current City cemetery. About 20 graves remain, but few have inscriptions. One of those is Mary Lowell, wife of the first white settler on Resurrection Bay. Since the 1990s, volunteers have contributed their time to clear brush, reset monuments and to repair and build picket fences around individual graves. Click here to get directions to Woodlawn Cemetery. 

City Cemetery

The City Cemetery is located at the west end of Coolidge Drive at the intersection of Jesse Lee Drive. Originally platted as a one-acre site, it has expanded to about two acres. The site is interspersed with monuments, slabs, fences, sunken graves, metal stake markers, and gravel mounds. Click here for directions to the City Cemetery. See the image below for a simple layout of the cemeteries near the City Cemetery.

American Legion Cemetery

The American Legion Cemetery is accessed via Aspen Lane off the Seward Highway next to the Chamber of Commerce. It was created on November 6, 1933 when the City Council voted to provide the American Legion Post #5 with a one-acre burial area within the cemetery reserve. Resolution 1996-132 by City Council approved the transfer of Lot 3, Fort Raymond Subdivision to the American Legion Post #5 for cemetery purposes. The Legion has done an excellent job of maintaining it as a veteran's memorial park.

Masons Cemetery 

The Masons Cemetery is the eastern most of the three privately owned one-acre parcels along Coolidge Drive. It is about 50% utilized and well maintained. Owned by Seward Lodge No. 219 Free and Accepted Masons, the entrance to the site is highlighted by a metal archway. Mapping and records in this area have been maintained by the Masons. 

Pioneers Cemetery

The Pioneers Cemetery is a privately owned one-acre site along Coolidge Drive that has been shared with the past local Elk's Lodge. It was deeded by the City to Pioneers of Alaska Igloo #9 in 1933. The site is about three quarters occupied. It's development closely resembles the City's general cemetery area. In 1996, City Council approved a small expansion to this cemetery (Resolution 1996-131). About half of the area is already being utilized. 

Oddfellows Cemetery

The Oddfellows Cemetery was a privately owned one-acre site lying midway along Coolidge Drive. It was less than a quarter utilized by the Resurrection Lodge A-7 Independent Order of Oddfellows. The parent organization of the Independent Order of Oddfellows deeded the site back to the City in the late 1990's so long as Oddfellows and Rebekah burials are continued to be allowed in that section. The local Rotary Club developed a memorial to all those buried in the cemetery complex that is located in the far northeast of the site near the American Legion Cemetery border. A columbarium will be added in this area in the spring of 2023.

Jesse Lee Cemetery

Directly north of the old Oddfellows Cemetery, children of the Jesse Lee Home were buried in what is now a forested area. Most of the graves had wooden markers which had been vandalized and removed. There are no known maps or records for this site. The underbrush was cut out of this area in 1989 and in 2021. In 2019, an interpretive sign was installed.