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.
By directive of the City of Phoenix, our historic cemeteries and Smurthwaite House are closed at this time.
We will not be open on Thursdays or Open House Saturdays until further notice.
We look forward to seeing everyone as soon as we're able. We're behind the scenes working on creative ways to share Phoenix's history with you remotely, through this website, email, and social media options. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and sign up for our occasional email news! If you have questions or suggestions of programs, projects, or topics of interest, please drop us a line at pioneercem@yahoo.com!
Memorial Day - Remembering Our Heroes
While we are unable to be together in person this year, volunteer and Board member Patty Gault has created an amazing video to celebrate the 36 years we've come together to remember our heritage and remember our heroes. Our thoughts and prayers are with your families in this challenging time, especially with those who have gone before us and their loved ones. Our gratitude to all Gold Star families - those with a military family member who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Click to watch our Memorial Day Remembrance 2020 tribute. Have your kleenex ready and be prepared to stand and salute - it's that good. Here's to coming together next year!
Click to watch our Memorial Day Remembrance 2020 tribute. Have your kleenex ready and be prepared to stand and salute - it's that good. Here's to coming together next year!
Thank you, Cactus Wren Chapter, NSDAR!
PCA is very excited to announce we were awarded a preservation grant from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The grant is sponsored by Cactus Wren Chapter, NSDAR of Chandler and will be used for grave marker preservation in our cemeteries. Thank you to Kandy Wagenbach, Gera King, W. Jobeth Fjell, and Jenn Shaffer Merry for your help!
Thank You, Arizona Humanities!
We are excited to announce that PCA received a grant from Arizona Humanities to create new tour brochures and programs focusing on the history of our women and children buried at P&MMP. We will also be able to make repairs to several of the grave markers pertaining to women and children. Why just this select group? This year is the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote and March is women's history month. Our researchers will be hard at work writing more biographies and creating new stories. We hope you enjoy these stories about Martha Beatty, "Pioneer Educator," and 6 year old Willie Meade, both interred at our historic cemeteries.
Click to watch Martha Beatty's story.
Click to watch little Willie Meade's story.
Click to watch Martha Beatty's story.
Click to watch little Willie Meade's story.
New Blog Featuring Pioneer Cemetery Stories
Be sure to check out a new blog, Behind the Epitaph, provided by PCA volunteers and researchers! You'll find stories about our more colorful characters interred at the Pioneer & Military Memorial Cemeteries. You can "subscribe" to the blog posts to receive updates by providing your email on the right side bar of their blog.
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)
Thanks to Our GMPP Team & Conservator Joe Ferrannini!
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Please enjoy and share our Grave Marker Preservation team's work with your friends! This activity is PCA's most expensive and time consuming project. We thank all of our generous donors and sponsors who make protecting and restoring our historic grave markers possible to ensure the story of those interred lives on for their families. This gives all of us a tangible and visible way to learn our history.
Stay tuned for future opportunities to learn how YOU can learn the hands-on processes you see here! Contact Chair Cindy Lee at geckofamilee@cox.net for details. Subscribe to our newsletters below to receive periodic emails about all of our activities as grave marker preservation is one of our many ways to preserve the stories of Phoenix history! Our many thanks to Conservator Joe Ferrannini for sharing your knowledge and time to train our team how to continue these specialized techniques! |
Thanks to ASU's Dr. Pamela Stewart & PCA's Patty Gualt for this interview about our cemeteries!Check out this great video between 2 of our PCA volunteers! Dr. Stewart is a member of PCA and a professor at ASU who regularly brings students to our historic Phoenix cemeteries to learn to study grave stones, the symbols you'll find on them, and research stories about our interred. Patty is a board member and leader with our Grave Marker Preservation team! Pioneers' Cemetery Association and ASU through Dr. Stewart will be collaborating on AZ Humanities grant activities this year about the history of women and children buried in our historic cemeteries!
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Enjoy some before & after shots of our team's work! |
Inventory of Historic Arizona Cemeteries
Pioneers' Cemetery Association was proud to work with Arizona State Historic Preservation Office as part of the Arizona Statehood Centennial (2011-2012) to create an inventory of historic cemeteries around the state called the Arizona Memory Project. You can find access to this database here. A "historic cemetery" is one that is at least 50 years old and consists of one or more gravesites.
Preserving Sotelo-Heard Cemetery
Our many thanks to reporter John D'Anna of the Arizona Republic for his time, research, and sensitive story featuring a forgotten "Mexican cemetery" in south Phoenix - Sotelo-Heard Cemetery. Enjoy the story in its entirety here. A list of those buried is included at the very end of the story if you're looking for the possibility of tracing your own heritage here. Thanks to John for his updated article of January 11, 2020 here. You may donate to support PCA's efforts protect Sotelo-Heard through our Gift Shop page.
Our thanks to Monica Garcia of 12News for her interview with Frank Barrios November 1! The video report can be found here.
Many thanks to Cronkite News and Brittany Watson for her interview with Frank Barrios November 21. The story can be found here.
Pioneers' Cemetery Association is available as a community resource to those seeking to preserve historic cemeteries, aid in research of family genealogy particularly for those connected with our early Arizona burials, and education about early Arizona history by sharing the stories of those who were here before us.
You can contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com with questions or comments. You are encouraged to become a Friend of PCA by either becoming a member or subscribing to our news. Donations to continue our efforts to preserve history are gratefully accepted.
Our thanks to Monica Garcia of 12News for her interview with Frank Barrios November 1! The video report can be found here.
Many thanks to Cronkite News and Brittany Watson for her interview with Frank Barrios November 21. The story can be found here.
Pioneers' Cemetery Association is available as a community resource to those seeking to preserve historic cemeteries, aid in research of family genealogy particularly for those connected with our early Arizona burials, and education about early Arizona history by sharing the stories of those who were here before us.
You can contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com with questions or comments. You are encouraged to become a Friend of PCA by either becoming a member or subscribing to our news. Donations to continue our efforts to preserve history are gratefully accepted.
Listing of Burials
Back by popular demand! If you're looking for the names of all contained (that we're aware of!) within our cemeteries, you can find the entire alphabetic listing under the Services tab for your reference. We have many researchers who find it easier to begin with our lists before heading to Find A Grave or contacting us for details. You'll see notations embedded in lists of who we have additional information about. Feel free to contact us at pioneercem@yahoo.com to access story information. (remember - membership has its benefits!)
Open House Thursdays - CANCELLED
Our cemeteries and Smurthwaite House are currently CLOSED.
Tour the cemeteries and visit historic Smurthwaite House EVERY Thursday, 10 AM-2 PM. Donations gratefully accepted. Smurthwaite House is located at 1317 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ.
Tour the cemeteries and visit historic Smurthwaite House EVERY Thursday, 10 AM-2 PM. Donations gratefully accepted. Smurthwaite House is located at 1317 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ.
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 10 AM-2 PM |
Pioneers' Cemetery Association - Phoenix, Arizona
Copyright © 2017 Website last updated May 30, 2020
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All Rights Reserved.
Contact Webmaster for website concerns.
All Rights Reserved.