The life and times of highland cemetery

Abstract

A reconstruction of the history of Highland Cemetery, the city's first cemetery, which was first used in 1868. The City of Wichita assumed responsibility for the cemetery in 1982. Indications are that the cemetery is segregated, and this project will either prove or disprove that hypothesis. Method: Research is being completed using cemetery records, mortuary records, newspaper articles and obituaries, census records, personal interviews with family members and printed literature based on the time period. Result: The data found in this research will aid in the preservation of the largely forgotten, historical cemetery. Additionally, it will help with an understanding of racial, economic and gender barriers in burial practices in Wichita, as well as a historical understanding of cause of death in various time frames.