| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
The north end of Greenridge Cemetery encompasses the earliest sections; additions expanded the cemetery west and south. It is adjacent to Baker Park Playground to the north, and residential neighborhoods on the east and west. To the south, directly adjacent is St. James Cemetery, a local Catholic Cemetery; the dividing line between the two being Dividing Line Road. STH 32/Sheridan Road runs north/south on the west side of the cemetery while 7th Avenue runs north/south on its eastern boundary. There are two main entrances: the west gate along STH 32/Sheridan Road and the east gate off of 7th Avenue. Both entrances are marked with large stone bollards and an iron fence gate. The cemetery is surrounded by a stone wall of uncoursed fieldstone running various heights, topped with iron top railing.
Three main roads fully extend across the cemetery running east to west: Gate Road, Funeral Road and Dividing Line Road. Between the three “main east-west roads” are winding drives connecting the main thoroughfare to smaller parks such as West Park Mausoleum and Columbarium and Veterans Park. Other areas within the cemetery are noted as West Lawn, West Lawn B, West Lawn C, Lakeview 1 etc.
The office building sits in the upper northeast corner near the east gate entrance. The office is a one-story, rectangular building clad in uncoursed fieldstone. A standing seam metal gable roof caps the structure with a stone chimney rising at the ridge. The primary entrance, on the front facing façade facing 7th Avenue, is sheltered by a stone portico with square, cut stone pillars. The doorway is flanked by 2/2 double hung windows. The side elevation features three 2/2 double hung windows with stone lintels and sills.
Green Ridge Cemetery is approximately 37 Acres with over 20,000 burials. It is located between STH 32 to the west and 7th Avenue to the east. Towards the southern portion of the cemetery residential neighborhoods lay between STH 32 and the cemetery.
Green Ridge Cemetery is Kenosha’s first City Cemetery originating in 1838 with the burial of Catherine Durkee, wife of Senator Charles Durkee. Senator Durkee later donated land to expand the cemetery. Though it should be noted that early Euro settlers to the area may have used this space as burial grounds as early as 1836.
In 1906 the Kenosha Cemetery Association was formed with the goal of improving and beautifying the cemetery. Additionally in 1906 the front portion of the stone cottage, stone fence and wrought iron fence were completed. The stone façade of the cottage was designed by noted architect Max Dunning. In 1933 an addition to the cottage was completed. The cottage serves as the cemetery office today. In 1989 a mausoleum and columbarium were constructed. An additional three columbarium were constructed in 2024.
Notable burials within the cemetery include S.C Johnson, founder of Johnson Wax; Zalmon G. Simmons, founder of the Simmons Beauty Rest Mattress Company; Charles Durkee, first US Senator from Wisconsin and the first territorial governor of Utah; Walter H. Alford, first president of the City Council and key figure for the development of city parks in Kenosha; Referend Abner Barlow, pioneer preacher and Revolutionary War Veteran; Mary D. Bradford, first female Superintendent of Schools.
Green Ridge Cemetery embodies the distinctive characteristics of a cemetery landscape of the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. The cemetery is a scenic site reflecting the Rural Cemetery Movement that began in the early 19th century. With its park like setting featuring winding walking and driving paths, selective thinning of trees and distinct gateway Green Ridge Cemetery may be potentially eligible under criterion A in the area of community planning and under Criterion C for its landscape architecture and elaborate monumentation. A case could also be made under criterion B for the cemetery’s containment of numerous graves of people who made local and state contributions to history.
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