Huston Cemetery – West Des Moines, Iowa - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Huston Cemetery

West Des Moines, Iowa

A small burial plot formerly stranded in the middle of a road. 

View all photos
Cemetery in the middle of the road abandonedexplorerscom (Atlas Obscura User)
Cemetery in the middle of the road abandonedexplorerscom (Atlas Obscura User)
Fence post over taken by tree PushingUpDaisies (Atlas Obscura User)
Cemetery in the middle of the road 2 abandonedexplorerscom (Atlas Obscura User)
247
460
Top Places in Iowa
Wood carving classes at Vesterheim. (Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum)
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
Decorah, Iowa
Field of Dreams Movie Site
Dyersville, Iowa
Albert The Bull
Audubon, Iowa
 See All

Huston Cemetery is a little country graveyard right in the middle of a roundabout in West Des Moines, Iowa. Established in 1847, the first graves were two young girls from a family traveling by wagon train.

Mr. Huston, the man who the cemetery is named for, was the first attorney in Dallas County, Iowa. He ran a stagecoach station, a post office, a saloon, and even established a stop on the underground railroad. He was the last burial in the cemetery, in 1889. He is buried alongside his wife and six children, plus a few other family members. Eleven graves have been recorded in total in Huston Cemetery.

As of 2021, the intersection has been re-routed to allow for widening and paving of the roads, so the little graveyard is no longer stranded in the roundabout and the fence around it has been restored by the City of West Des Moines.

Know Before You Go

It's easy to locate. Just drive right to it. There is enough room around the cemetery on the outside of the fence to park.

cemeteries
Nearby
Salisbury House & Gardens
8.20 miles
'Better Homes and Gardens' Test Garden
9.91 miles
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
10.18 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
The Great Hall.
Des Moines, Iowa

Salisbury House & Gardens

Architectural elements and building materials for this house were transported from Salisbury, England.
A patio photographed at the Test Garden.
Des Moines, Iowa

'Better Homes and Gardens' Test Garden

The magazine keeps a perfectly groomed display garden for its photo shoots.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Des Moines, Iowa

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Millions of dollars worth of sculpture decorate this Iowa city center.
Des Moines, Iowa

West End Architectural Salvage

Piled high inside this warehouse and coffee shop are salvaged goods that span every corner of the globe.
Related Places
Raħal Ġdid, Malta

Addolorata Cemetery

Malta’s largest cemetery is a Victorian-era architectural masterpiece.
Ahlat, Turkey

Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery

Hundreds of medieval Islamic gravestones decorate the mountainous landscape in the largest cemetery in Turkey.
Hays, Kansas

The Original Boot Hill Cemetery

The first graveyard named "Boot Hill" was established in Hays, Kansas, years before better known cemeteries with the same name.
Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia

Symbolic Cemetery at Popradské Pleso

A serene memorial that honors the adventurous spirits of climbers who lost their lives in the High Tatras.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web