The Wahzhazhe National Cemetery is now under construction and expected to be complete by December.
ON Congressman Otto Hamilton sponsored the legislation last year (ONCA 23-33 and 24-19) which provided $2.2 million to construct the cemetery. He said he wanted to reduce the burden on Osage families who already care for their own cemeteries.
The cemetery will help deceased loved ones “come home to be buried with their people,” he said. “There are many Osage families who have their own cemeteries. I wanted to take the burden off some of the families [to] have a place for their deceased loved ones.”
Justin Carr, Roads Department director, said he does not foresee any delays in construction. “They’re making good progress,” he said.
Along with the appropriation from Congress, the Wahzhazhe National Cemetery is also funded by federal money managed through the tribe.
The national cemetery is the first the Osage Nation has owned and maintained, Carr said. The cemetery is 15 acres of restricted land laid out in four quadrants at the intersection of Highway 99 and County Road 2667, just south of Pawhuska.
According to the cemetery’s construction plans, sidewalks will be placed throughout each quadrant and new roads are being built. A stone entry wall with brass signage will greet visitors, a flagpole will also be installed. To ensure proper drainage and erosion control, dikes and rock filter dams will be installed as well as a storm sewer.
About 140 trees will be planted at the site. According to the construction plans, 35 trees will border each quadrant, creating boulevards for visitors. New topsoil will be added, along with Bermuda grass sod.
The policies for how Osages can obtain a plot and who will be managing the cemetery have not been finalized.
Rural cemeteries
The discussion about a national cemetery first took place in 2021 when a constituent called Congresswoman Alice Goodfox to notify her that the Pawhuska City Cemetery was running out of plots.
“We knew early on the Roads Department would be able to help with sidewalks and roads but to start the process and take things slow we started with the fencing appropriation,” said Goodfox, who sponsored ONCA 21-99, which was an appropriation for $40,000 for fencing to go around the cemetery.
But where would the cemetery be located?
Goodfox said the first site location was the hill above the Pawhuska cemetery, the Nation owns the land. Goodfox, then-Assistant Principal Chief Raymond Red Corn and employees from the Roads department made the hike. “The site was deemed to be not in our best interest to pursue because it’s mostly rock and it would have cost millions just to get a road up there,” she said.
The second location was a parcel of land the Nation already owned, and it was restricted land.
“With the cost of funerals going up every year and less and less space available at the rural city cemeteries within the Osage boundary, I had heard from constituents that they would like to see a Nation cemetery,” she said. “The current site of the cemetery is very close to the middle of Osage County.”
The Osage News called the Pawhuska, Hominy and Fairfax city halls to inquire about the number of plots available in their cemeteries. All three offices said they would call back with that information toward the end of the week.
With additional reporting by Editor Shannon Shaw Duty
This article was updated on July 16, 2024.
