Comet Lodge Cemetery

The Comet Lodge Cemetery on Beacon Hill in Seattle, Washington is situated just east of Interstate 5 on the hill's western slope, on S. Graham Street between 21st and 23rd Avenues S.

The cemetery was established in the 1800s as the sacred burial grounds for the Duwamish Nation.

References

• Rick Anderson, "No Stone Unturned", Seattle Weekly, January 14, 1998.
• Heather MacIntosh, "Rewriting the Past: Comet Lodge Cemetery Project", Preservation Seattle (Historic Seattle), July 2003.
• "Comet Lodge Cemetery, King County, Washington, burial records, researched by Tim O'Brian, copied by Interment.net and used by King County."
• " October 31, 2008 The Daily "
• " with permission from author.
• Weird Wasingtion WEIRD WASHINGTON Publisher: Sterling (May 2008) ISBN 978-1-4027-4545-4 with permission from authors.

"June 11, 1895: A.B. Maple, the Chairman, President and Grand Noble of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and its secretary, T.B. Rhodes, fixed their signatures and corporate seal before a Notary Public, H.A. Bateman, to a 'Dedication: hereby declaring '...'to the use of all owners of lots in this Cemetery" forever the walks and driveways as hereon shown." thereby dedicating and recording with King County this land as a graveyard. Shortly afterward, the Dedication was: 'Approved this 24th day of Sept. A.D. 1895. Fred Gasch Chairman Board of County Com's, Attest Nathan Beman County Auditor. No. 142368 Filed for Record at the request of E. Teachnor, on this 24th, day of Sept. A.D. 1895 at 30 min. past 2 P.M. and recorded in Vol. 9 of Plats, page 19. Records of King County, Wash.' This date affords the highest level of protection, Historical Graveyard, to the cemetery.

May 6, 1908: Comet Lodge 139 divides cemetery into two parcels and sells Comet Lodge Cemetery to one of their Nobles, H.S. Noise, for $1.00.

July 19, 1912: H.S. Noice sold burial plots in this graveyard until July 19, 1912. It is not known if Mr. Noice issued deeds of trust, but it should be assumed that his customers received something to recognize their purchase of particular plots of land. Mr. Noice and his wife, Frances M. Noice, then filed a quit claim deed, 837297, in the presence of M.W. Lovejoy, a Noble notary, deeding the properties to H.R. Corson, a Grand Noble of the Comet Lodge, for the sum of $10.00. This deed was recorded by Lida White Richardson on Nov. 20, 1912, at 55 min. past 2 P.M. with Otto A. Case sp. the County Auditor. For the next few years both Noble Noice and Grand Noble Corson sold burial plots within their association with the Comet Lodge as recorded by the Lodge burial list."

June 10, 1927: Grand Noble H.R. Corson, and wife Eva S. Corson subdivided and sold portions of the babies' resting place, the north half of the Comet Cemetery, to the City of Seattle for $1.00. The City bought the properties knowing that they were sections of the graveyard. 2423316 (1373/390) Jun. 10-27 $1. HR Corson, and wife Eva S. Corson to The City of Seattle, a mun corp

"November 29, 1938: Judgement and Decree of Foreclosure in the Superior Court of Washington for King County vs. M.L. Noice, deceased, for the graveyard property "Less streets and less property sold for burial purposes. In other words, this foreclosure, meritless because a cemetery can never be foreclosed upon, was for non-existent property.

December 20, 1938: Judgement and Decree of Foreclosure in the Superior Court of Washington for the City of Seattle vs. Unknown for the graveyard. Another foreclosure grants Seattle the Comet Lodge Cemetery. Still there is no record of any notification public or private, vacating, nor re-interment in the courts as required. It is King County's contention that the graveyard had been abandoned for "many years" although records show that Jewel Lundin had been buried there a year before the foreclosures.

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Coordinates: 47°32′49″N 122°18′18″W / 47.54694°N 122.30500°W / 47.54694; -122.30500