Louisville Cemetery, Louisville

Although cemeteries existed in the larger area, in 1892 the community established its own burial ground southeast of town. The land was acquired by three Louisville fraternal organizations: the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and Improved Order of Red Men.

After the Louisville Cemetery was established, a number of graves were reportedly moved there from the Superior cemetery (this would explain burials at the cemetery with dates of death prior to 1892). The new cemetery was platted and divided into three sections of twenty-four burial blocks. Each were further divided into hundreds of burial lots. A grid pattern of narrow unpaved drives traversed the site, providing access first by wagon and later the automobile.

The burial sections were individually managed by the fraternal organizations. The City of Louisville eventually became a part-manager of the site, with its own section for the burial of citizens not associated with the fraternal lodges.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, the site was maintained with dedication by long-time locals George and Laura Ellis.

In the 1990s, the City expanded the site to the west with two additional burial sections. In 2008, the Louisville Cemetery Master Planwas adopted, and in 2009 Phase 1 of the cemetery expansion was completed.