Beneath these towering oaks and maples, lies a serene world of stories at Detroit’s Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Since 1888, Mt. Olivet Cemetery has provided a peaceful oasis in the heart of Detroit. It spans over 300 acres of carefully maintained lawns and gardens.
Mt. Olivet Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Detroit. It is owned and operated by the Mt. Elliott Cemetery Association. This is a not-for-profit Catholic organization. However, Mt. Olivet no longer promotes itself publicly as a Catholic establishment.
Imagine walking through a park filled with art. Here at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, each headstone tells a story. The names of cultural leaders are carved into stone. You will find political figures and business leaders too. Polish, Italian, German, and Belgian immigrants are grouped together. Military burials date from the Civil War to Vietnam.
Notice the private family mausoleums throughout the grounds. Many honor multiple generations of Detroit area families. They come from Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. The cemetery has an impressive collection of individual memorials. These memorials date from the 19th century to the present day.
Albert Fisher rests here. He was a pioneer of the auto industry and uncle to the Fisher brothers. They founded Fisher Body. Look through the ornate doors of his simple structure. You will see a beautiful stained glass window with an angel.
Many mausoleums have lavish doors or grates. Some feature unique stained glass. Others have Doric columns. A few look Egyptian. Live plants still occupy urns. Squirrels run about like this is their playground. Large family plots bear the family name on one big headstone.
Time and weather have created attractive shadows on the Thomas Grant obelisk. Long flat gravestones look like concrete doors into the Earth. Statues are numerous here. In many cases, an entire family mourns the deceased in statue form.
Mt. Olivet Cemetery is the final resting place for notable people. Major League Baseball players Jimmy Barrett and Joe Lafata are here. Cass Michaels and Maurice Van Robays are also interred here. Pianist Joe Hunter rests here. He was a three-time Grammy winner with the Funk Brothers. Actor Tom Tyler, who played Captain Marvel in the 1941 movie, is here too.
Politicians Robert Clancy and Senator Patrick McNamara are buried here. Race car driver William “Shorty” Cantlon was killed during the 1947 Indy 500. Rose M Gacioch, who played in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, is here too. She pitched for the Rockford Peaches. Rosie O’Donnell played her in the film A League of Their Own.
Notorious crime figures also reside here. You will find members of the Detroit Mob. In 1987, Mayor Coleman Young considered acquiring the cemetery. He wanted to expand the runway for Coleman A. Young International Airport.
The Garden Mausoleum was constructed in the 1950s. Concrete pathways lead through courtyards. Annuals still bloom, and shrubs are perfectly shaped. This section has a statue of St Matthew. Skylights light the hallways, leading past stained glass windows. Crypts and colorful mosaics adorn the walls. Pass from St Peter to St Anne, then St Catherine and St Thomas. Antique-looking jars hold lit candles. Fresh flowers lay nearby.
The Polish Army Veterans Monument stands between trees. The inscription is in Polish. Mausoleums constructed of thickly veined marble with Art Nouveau accents are gorgeous. One gravestone features an intricately carved scene. A woman prays at a grave site surrounded by towering trees.
Today, Mt Olivet Cemetery hosts the annual Sunrise Run and Pancake Breakfast fundraiser. It is a place of beauty and peace. It is a dignified final resting place. Mt. Olivet Cemetery will be so for many more generations to come.