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History: The First Grave

The first humble grave at Lithuanian National Cemetery was that of a 2-year-old child. V. Zaleskis, the first manager of the cemetery reburied his daughter from the Lithuanian Catholic Cemetery as by strict rules of the time, non-churchgoers were buried behind the fence there. By the time two years went by, the cemetery was consecrated by Bishop S. B. Mickevicius, a founder of the Lithuanian National Catholic Church in the United States. 

V. Zaleckis at the gravestone of his daughter.
V. Zaleckis at the gravestone of his daughter.

In 1913, a small wooden house served as the administration office on the property. The growth of the burial grounds was reflected in a larger, stone building erected in 1937, complete with columbariums and niches to house cremated remains, and equipped with a microphone and speakers in the bell tower for memorial services. Earlier, in 1934, forty more acres were added to the cemetery.

The original office building at the cemetery
The original office building at the cemetery