Welcome to Pioneers' Cemetery Association
RESEARCH - PRESERVE - EDUCATE
About Phoenix & Territorial Arizona History
About Phoenix & Territorial Arizona History
The Mission of the Pioneers' Cemetery Association, Inc. is to conserve and protect the historic physical remains, grave markers, artifacts, and buildings of Pioneer & Military Memorial Park and provide a safe, accessible community resource for present and future generations; to acknowledge, celebrate, and promote Arizona's Pioneer History, represented by those interred in Arizona historic cemeteries, through research, education, conservation, preservation, and community engagement.
The Pioneers' Cemetery Association, Inc. is a non-profit organization with IRS 501(c)(3) status.
The Pioneers' Cemetery Association, Inc. is a non-profit organization with IRS 501(c)(3) status.
Our historic cemeteries are open by appointment on Thursdays 10 AM - 2 PM for self-guided tours.
Tours of historic Smurthwaite House are available on Thursdays 10 AM - 2 PM by appointment only.
Please contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com for arrangements.
Murder Mystery Fundraiser
RSVP Today to Reserve Your Seat!
This event is now full!
Contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com to be added to our
Wait List should one of our guests cancel.
Step into a world of deception, secrets, and suspense as you attend our melodramatic Murder Mystery event at the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park! Join us for an unforgettable time filled with thrilling twists and turns, all for a great cause!
This event is now full!
Contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com to be added to our
Wait List should one of our guests cancel.
Step into a world of deception, secrets, and suspense as you attend our melodramatic Murder Mystery event at the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park! Join us for an unforgettable time filled with thrilling twists and turns, all for a great cause!
You'll experience:
- Engaging Characters: Each guest will be assigned a unique character with their own secrets, motives, and connections to the victim and other attendees. As the event progresses, participants must interact, exchange information, and gather clues to expose the murderer hidden among them.
- Clues and Evidence: Throughout the event, participants will discover clues and evidence. From cryptic notes to suspicious objects, every detail matters as you work to piece together the puzzle.
- Opportunities to Unravel the Mystery: As the event unfolds, the tension rises, and friendships are tested. Participants must use their wit, intuition, and powers of deduction to identify the culprit behind the murder. At the end of the event, you will be asked to submit your accusations.
Tickets are $20.00.
Must RSVP to Attend!
LIMITED SEATS for this special event! Proceeds go toward PCA's General Fund!
If you're mailing a check, click below for a Registration Form and
EMAIL NOTICE that check is in the mail to save your seat! (pioneercem@yahoo.com)
Mail $20 checks to: Pioneers' Cemetery Assoc.
P.O. Box 33192, Phoenix, AZ 85067
Purchase online by clicking below.
($1 convenience fee added)
Reservations (while seats are available)
are due by September 29
to prepare for YOUR role!
Dressing in costume is encouraged!
Light refreshments provided.
Must RSVP to Attend!
LIMITED SEATS for this special event! Proceeds go toward PCA's General Fund!
If you're mailing a check, click below for a Registration Form and
EMAIL NOTICE that check is in the mail to save your seat! (pioneercem@yahoo.com)
Mail $20 checks to: Pioneers' Cemetery Assoc.
P.O. Box 33192, Phoenix, AZ 85067
Purchase online by clicking below.
($1 convenience fee added)
Reservations (while seats are available)
are due by September 29
to prepare for YOUR role!
Dressing in costume is encouraged!
Light refreshments provided.
Frank Barrios Day - May 30, 2023
We congratulate long time member, mentor of PCA, and Phoenix historian Frank Barrios! May 30th was proclaimed Frank Barrios Day by Mayor Kate Gallego. Congratulations, Frank! The award is well deserved.
Shown here with Laura Pastor and Mayor Gallego for Frank Barrios Day.
Shown here with Laura Pastor and Mayor Gallego for Frank Barrios Day.
Memorial Day 2023 Remembrance
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Thanks to all who joined us on our first return to a Memorial Day program since 2019!
Special thanks to Steve Schumacher, Mayor's Office Official Historian, for providing the program for the day. Thanks to the groups who made the time to process and pay their respects to our fallen heroes. Sincere thanks to James Witherspoon for playing TAPS to close our time together. Many thanks to all of the volunteers who made this possible! |
Blog Posts Honor Our Interred
Be sure to stop by our Pioneer Biographies page to see stories of some of our interred. Stories currently posted celebrate Black History Month (February), Asian-Pacific Islander Month (May), and Immigrant Heritage Month (June)! (sharing stories of our Chinese heritage in Phoenix)
With Gratitude:
Our thanks to Anasazi Chapter, NSDAR for honoring Florence Card Mann, Arizona territorial educator, as their 2023 Woman in History! Thanks to Val Wilson for creating the program to share! You can find Val's program by heading to our blog page or check out Val's blog, Behind the Epitaph for more stories of Phoenix history!
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Thanks to Piestewa Peak and Maricopa Chapters, NSDAR for their Day of Service this March! They worked hard in Porter cemetery clearing garbage, weeds, and ground cover to fill 10 yard bags!
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Hats & High Tea - Another Smashing Success!
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There are so many to thank for making this event possible, from our behind-the-scenes crew building tea and baking, Madame Askew and her entourage, Marshall Shore as host, the Masons & DeMolays, PCA's volunteer crew, and most of all our attendees who make this all possible!
We greatly appreciate our community support for this annual fundraiser event to enable our Grave Marker Preservation Project to continue! |
Chinese Pioneers Remembered November 5
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On Saturday, November 5, the Chinese Circle in City/Loosley Cemetery was formally dedicated. The invitation-only event, sponsored by Chinese United and the Pioneers' Cemetery Association, was to commemorate the lives of the Chinese pioneers buried there.
Although Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego could not attend due to a scheduling conflict, Patrick Carlson, Policy Assistant, and Cassandra Mason-Motz, Special Assistant to the Mayor, were present on her behalf. Mr. Carlson read a proclamation acknowledging the contributions of these forgotten pioneers to the Phoenix we know today. The historic Pioneer & Military Memorial Park is located at 1317 West Jefferson near the Arizona State Capitol complex. About 4,000 of Phoenix's earliest inhabitants were laid to rest there between 1884 and 1914, including notables such as Jacob Waltz, Tom Graham and King S. Woolsey. In 2014, the Phoenix Chinese Welfare Council erected a granite monument honoring Phoenix's pioneer Chinese. Renovation of the Chinese Circle was completed in 2021 with the installation of cenotaph bricks bearing the names of 47 early Chinese settlers. |
NEW BOOK - "Gold Mountain in the Desert"
Available NOW!
Don't miss this opportunity to pick up your copy featuring two of our Pioneers' Cemetery Association volunteers as authors!
This is available in both
hard and soft cover editions.
You may purchase your copy online and pick it up at Smurthwaite House
any Thursday, 10a.m-2p.m or at our events,
or you may prefer to have it mailed to you.
Purchase the book through our Gift Shop -
add postage to your order if you wish it mailed to you.
Enjoy this collaboration bringing the history of our Chinese community to life!
Don't miss this opportunity to pick up your copy featuring two of our Pioneers' Cemetery Association volunteers as authors!
This is available in both
hard and soft cover editions.
You may purchase your copy online and pick it up at Smurthwaite House
any Thursday, 10a.m-2p.m or at our events,
or you may prefer to have it mailed to you.
Purchase the book through our Gift Shop -
add postage to your order if you wish it mailed to you.
Enjoy this collaboration bringing the history of our Chinese community to life!
NEW! Calendar Updates
We're celebrating our 40th Year of Service!
Head to our Calendar page to see the exciting events on our horizon! Become a Member today!
Head to our Calendar page to see the exciting events on our horizon! Become a Member today!
Thank You, American Association of
State and Local History!
Cindy Lee, Vice President, accepting AASLH award - Sept. 2022
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The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has notified us that Pioneers’ Cemetery Association has received an Award of Excellence for our project highlighting Women and Children of Pioneer & Military Memorial Park. "The Award of Excellence is part of the AASLH Leadership in History Awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation of state and local history." See more of the notice in the attached photo. We are so proud of all our volunteers and the hard work they do to preserve history.
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NEW Walking Tour Brochures Available
Our thanks to Arizona Humanities for a 2021 grant enabling us to create a number of walking tour brochures to share more stories of our Arizona history! Shown is one side of one brochure Pioneers' Cemetery Association is making available to the public. You may download these as pdfs to read the brief stories of our interred, share with loved ones as you do family research, or print to have ready for your own self-guided tour of our historic cemeteries! You can find all of our available brochures on Our Cemeteries page.
Learn more about our grave marker preservation here, with our thanks to Cronkite News and Sam Chow, aired February 17, 2022.
Follow Us on Facebook & Instagram!
Join our team as we share short video stories about some of early Arizona pioneers! "Like" or "Follow" us on our social media sites by clicking the icons below! And you can ALWAYS send us email at pioneercem@yahoo.com - it's the best and fastest way to reach us! (click the envelope)
Smurthwaite House Video
Many thanks to City of Phoenix's Nathalie Gage as well as Pioneers' Cemetery Association's own Judy Smith and Vivia Strang for their time and talents!
Location & HoursSmurthwaite House and the cemeteries of Pioneer & Military Memorial Park are open to the public every THURSDAY from 10 AM - 2 PM, on the fourth Saturday of the month September through May at scheduled times, and for special events as posted. The facilities are supervised by an all-volunteer team. Your cooperation to coordinate your activity at available times is greatly appreciated.
Mailing Address Pioneers' Cemetery Association P.O. Box 33192 Phoenix, AZ 85067 Smurthwaite House & P&MMP 1317 W. Jefferson St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 pioneercem@yahoo.com THURSDAYS ONLY - BY APPOINTMENT ONLY BEGINNING JANUARY 2021 - Contact pioneercem@yahoo.com for details 10 AM-2 PM |
Pioneers' Cemetery Association - Phoenix, Arizona
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All Rights Reserved.