Bloomington Cemetery

This historic cemetery was established in 1856 by the Oak Grove Presbyterian church. Gideon H Pond was the first pastor of this church who with his brother Samuel were longtime missionaries to the Dakota living near Fort Snelling beginning the 1830’s. Pond was also a representative in the early Minnesota Territory legislature. The Pond house is located a couple east of the cemetery and is a historical museum today. Pond and his family are among those buried in this cemetery. Another pioneer buried here is Martin McLeod, a fur trader with the American Fur Company McLeod county is named after him. He lived in Bloomington and later helped found the town of Glencoe west of here and also served in the territorial legislature. Another interesting burial here is “Susan”. Her grave reads, “ Susan - a christianized Dakota girl MURDERED by the Ojibwa Indians June 12, 1856. Age 10 Years”. As a fourth grade student in the early 1970’s, my class took a school bus trip around Bloomington including this cemetery to learn about its history and Susan’s grave has stuck with me ever since According to local historians, she was killed on an Indian mound located near Auto Club Road in west Bloomington still visible on the south side of the road. The Bloomington Cemetery is owned and maintained by the city of Bloomington.

Quiet cemetery near the highway. Has a brand new seating area and beautiful old trees.