McDivitt Grove Cemetery

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:


Cleanup at McDivitt Grove Cemetery will begin the week of August 28.  Individuals are encouraged to remove anything they wish to keep before the cleanup begins.  Thank you!



Urbandale operates the McDivitt Grove Cemetery located at 7001 Meredith Drive. The land was originally sold in 1853 to William McDivitt, a pioneer settler, whose name the cemetery still bears. When John McDivitt, son of William, died, his father set apart a portion of his farm for the cemetery in 1865. A schoolhouse was built on the site in 1866 and the ground was deeded for cemetery purposes in 1870.
A gated entrance to a cemetery
West Addition
In the summer of 1875, the school was moved and a Church was built. The church stood from 1875 - 1950 on what is now the “West Addition” portion of the cemetery. For more history on McDivitt and the City of Urbandale, please visit the Urbandale Historical Society website.

Maintenance
The Webster Township Trustees maintained the cemetery for many years. The City of Urbandale acquired the management responsibility for McDivitt Grove Cemetery in April of 1998.

Nonperpetual Care
McDivitt is a nonperpetual care cemetery. A permanent record of all interments is maintained at the Urbandale Parks and Recreation office. Records date back to burials in the 1860’s. Unfortunately though, many of the earlier records are incomplete. There are no lots left for sale in the cemetery. Lot owners may sell or surrender a lot back to the City, with certain requirements. On that occasion, those lots become available for sale. Traditional lot fees are $400 for an Urbandale resident, or $500 for a nonresident of Urbandale.