Oakland Cemetery - Iowa City

The Oakland Cemetery is located in Iowa City, Iowa. Beginning with only a block square of space, the cemetery has expanded to cover over 40 acres. It was created on February 13th to provide a final resting place to valued members of the community. Aside from the significance of those laid to rest, Oakland Cemetery is home to the Black Angel, a famous American folklore. This draws in tourists as it is rich in history and a haunting appeal. Although the famous Black Angel is well known, it is not the only important piece to this important location.

Oakland Cemetery is located in the heart of Iowa City, Iowa, the state's capital at the time of origin. The land was given to the “people of Iowa City” by legislation in 1843. It serves as the main cemetery in the city. Today, the cemetery is maintained by tax money and kept clean by dedicated maintenance staff. Aside from being the resting place for many, the site is home to monuments holding great significance. 

Being around for nearly 200 years, the Oakland Cemetery is the primary location for a lot of Iowa’s history. Prominent people buried at Oakland include Robert E. Lucas, first governor of Iowa, Samuel J. Kirkwood, Civil War Governor, U.S. Senator, and U.S. minister to Spain. As well as this many of the prominent University of Iowa Presidents are laid to rest at the cemetery including Walter A. Jessup and Virgil M. Hancher.  

Alongside those buried lies two significant monuments. The first of these is the “Living Tree Monument”, whose purpose is to represent and show respect to the fallen soldiers laid to rest in the cemetery. Buried nearby the monument are 27 Civil War veterans. This was put in place by an organization named GAR, created by Union soldiers. The second monument is the infamous “Black Angel.” The history of the Black Angel is often mis shared, but it was originally introduced in 1912 by Theresa Veldevert with the purpose to watch over her son. Shortly after, the material caused the angel to turn black and from then on, the stories began. Many myths spread throughout the community, and it has been said that if you kiss the angel, you will drop dead. This monument, significant through its importance in American folklore and culture, grasps the attention of ghost hunters and those interested in the supernatural.

Oakland Cemetery | City of Iowa City, City of Iowa City. Accessed March 29th, 2023. https://www.icgov.org/city-government/departments-and-divisions/oakland-cemetery.

Bird, S. E. (1994). Playing with Fear: Interpreting the Adolescent Legend Trip. Western Folklore, 53(3), 191–209. https://doi.org/10.2307/1499808

Black angel of Iowa city: Iowa City, Iowa. Josh Meier Photography. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.joshmeierphotography.com/photo/black-angel-of-iowa-city/

Oakland Cemetery Maps. Oakland Cemetery Map Iowa City. (2010, September 22). Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://iagenweb.org/johnson/cem/OaklandCemIC/OaklandCemMapIC.htm

Iowa Civil War Monuments. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2023, from http://www.iowacivilwarmonuments.com/cgi-bin/gaarddetails.pl?1210281304~2