Update: Added City plat maps showing boundaries of both New Picker’s/Gatewood Gardens and Sts. Peter and Paul cemeteries to the end of this post in July of 2020.
New Picker’s Cemetery, or Gatewood Gardens Cemetery as it’s now known, possesses some of the oldest history in the City of St. Louis.
It traces its roots back to Tower Grove East, the current location of Roosevelt High School, but apparently turned into a privately-owned cemetery that went broke.
German Lutheran institutions are dying out, as seen by the closure of St. Matthew’s United Church of Christ, and this is another example.
At least it didn’t end up like Old St. Marcus, which was turned into a park and its tombstones removed.
Here is a detailed report from the St. Louis website on the long, winding history of the cemetery and how it ended up in the city’s hands.
For those interested in the exact boundaries of New Picker’s/Gatewood Gardens and its neighbor, Sts. Peter and Paul, here are the official plat maps available to all citizens from the City of St. Louis. First up is the north side of Gravois.
The second map is the south side of Gravois. As readers have stated, both cemeteries have parcels on both sides of Gravois, though both have a larger portion on one side: New Picker’s/Gatewood Gardens is primarily on the north side, and Sts. Peter and Paul is primarily on the south side.
Chris, I don’t know if you’ve seen the articles about the burial site of Col. Constantin Blandowski at Gatewood Gardens. He’s buried in the old section at 7212 Gravois. He was supposed to be the 1st Union officer killed in the Civil War- turns out he might have been #2. His grave is unmarked but I don’t think that was always the case- there is the base of a monument at what is reputed to be his grave but the top, which would have had names on it, is long gone. Also adding to the confusion is the fact he is not listed in the cemetery’s on line records. Enjoyed your pictures. Dan Barnidge
Not to be nit picky but the pictures you posted of the three Stamm children’s graves? They’re not in Gatewood Gardens Cemetery. They are in the small portion of Sts. Peter & Paul cemetery on the north side of Gravois next to Gatewood Gardens. Gatewood rarely looks so well maintained.
Interesting…yes, it is confusing over that way in the cemetery business.
I was told the first Union soldier was buried near the back of (Old Pickers) Sts. Peter and Paul. I’ll have to do more investigating as Gateway Gardens is just behind the houses across the street from me.
What is the story of the large monument tjere “In Memory of the Old People Who Died in the Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor”?
I don’t know! Do you have a picture? I will investigate!
The monument you are referring to is in a portion of Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery. It too is on both sides of Gravois rd. You can tell if you are in Gatewood Gardens/ Pickers Cemetery or Sts. Peter & Paul by whether or not the grass is cut. The city makes only the minimum effort to care for Gatewood but the Catholic cemetery is always well maintained.
Thanks, Dan! I appreciate readers helping out with the boundaries of these two cemeteries.
I do have pictures of the monument but I’m not seeing how I can post them to this site.
Gary, e-mail them to me at naffziger (at) gmail (dot) com. Thank you!
Thank you. I will. I’m also unclear about a comment above and the physical separation between two cemetery areas. A comment above suggested that the Stamm children monuments are “in the small portion of Sts. Peter & Paul cemetery on the north side of Gravois next to Gatewood Gardens”. When we were in these cemetery areas yesterday we noted a fence separating a seemingly unidentified cemetery area from the identified Gatewood Gardens Cemetery. Are these truly separate cemeteries? The Little Sisters of the Poor monument that I’m wondering about is in the same section as the Stamm children’s monuments. The Little Sisters of the Poor monument has long been surrounded by large expanse of grass without any other tombstones and with the language on the monument I wondered if it was simply a mass burial area for deceased Little Sisters of the Poor home residents.
Gary, I suspect that is the case if there is a large expanse of open space. I’m sure the City has the burial plat map. I might try asking around City Hall. As I mentioned before, the City is definitely a reluctant owner of cemeteries nowadays!
Gary, The cemetery office over at Resurrection Cemetery at Watson & Mackenzie rds would have the information you’re looking for. Basically, it comes down to this – if there area you are in is well maintained it belongs to St. Peter & Paul cemetery. If the grounds are pretty rough looking, somewhat overgrown you are in the city owned Gatewood Gardens. Both cemeteries have sections on both sides of Gravois.
Interesting…Gatewood Gardens crosses Gravois? I didn’t realize that. SS. Peter and Paul is a very beautiful cemetery. There are not clear fence lines to delineate the two?
Update: I confirmed this by consulting City property records–how fascinating!
Looking for grave of Karl R. Beucler, St. Louis,MO
Death date: 16 July 1977
Ms. Arndt, you should contact the City of St. Louis, who is now the owner of the cemetery. They are required by law to maintain records of interments. The good news is that is not long ago. He is buried in Section B4P, Lot 85, Grave #85. He was buried in July 19, 1977, according to cemetery records. Here is a link to an image of a map of the cemetery:
https://images.app.goo.gl/A7DsYsNxxMScpKgW7
Shirleyjf226@gmail.com looking for a grave site of Roy Temper and hoping to get a picture of marker and any other information that would be available, I’m asking for his som Herbert B Temper
Mr. Temper, your father Roy is buried in Section B, Lot 11a2, Grave #1. He was buried on November 17, 1953, according to cemetery records. I can swing by at some point and see if I can find his grave. He has a listing in findagrave.com:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45419142/roy-g_-temper
I am looking for a relative buried in City Cemetery, owned by City Hospital in St Louis MO. She died in 1854. Any help for me? Her spouse and young family lived in Wisconsin. Wondering why she would have been in Missouri. Maybe a disease or something?
Ms. Harvey, there have been several City Cemeteries owned by the City of St. Louis over the last two centuries. In the 1850s, it could have been the cemetery that is now Benton Park. Do you know her name? There were fairly accurate records of deaths recorded in St. Louis.
I am looking for help regarding Gustav Ostermann, said to have died in St. Louis the week before Oct. 5, 1876. Per a translated obituary in German, he was now “at rest at Picker’s Cemetery in St. Louis, where Alfons and Raisin von Zorboni, the old count and his youngest daughter, Alexander Pfeiffer, Caroline Lindermann and a few other members of the German stage also have their last sleep.” I searched through the St. Louis death records… the nearest to possibly him I found was a “Fred Sturmann” that fits the bill. Gustav was associated with the German National Theater. I just wanted to make sure I have him in the right cemetery. Can you please help me? Or direct me to where ever or whomever I need to consult? Thank you so much!!
Jen, the short answer is that it is very complicated and there are multiple cemeteries where you ancestor could be buried. If he was buried in Picker’s Cemetery in St. Louis in 1876, that refers to a cemetery that dug up and removed in the early Twentieth Century, and was replaced by Roosevelt High School. The remains of upwards of 35,000 bodies were moved to multiple cemeteries, including what is now Gatewood Gardens, but not all. I live two blocks away from the former location of “Old” Picker’s Cemetery, and there have always been stories in the neighborhood that they did not remove all of the bodies. For more about this story, and other possible cemeteries where your ancestor could have been reburied, consult this document:
http://www.zioncemeterystl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Old-Pickers-Cemetery_mmc.pdf
It may be very difficult to locate him, but there is still a chance.
Dear Chris,
I was born and raised in St. Louis and most of my relatives are buried there in one of the Pickers cemeteries now under the City’s ownership. Some of these include my parents Frank and Marlowe Heitland and an aunt Anna Mann and her husband Everett). There is a plot of Heitlands, Manns, and Feuerborns somewhere that I would like to locate. One of my cousins told me that there is a center obelisk that my mother had refurbished after my father died in 1984. I am eager to be buried there with them some day if you can help me get the specifics! Thank you for all you do in keeping the heritage of St. Louis alive.
Mr. Heitland,
I’m not authorized to officially speak for the City of St. Louis in regards to internments in the cemetery, but from what I understand, if your family and descendants still own space in a family plot, you can be buried at Gatewood Gardens. You would want to check with a St. Louis area funeral director who would work with the City:
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/real-estate/gatewood-gardens-cemetery/gatewood-gardens-internments.cfm
Chris, Do you know how I can locate my great grandfather, Ernst August Karl Meinecke’s gravesite at Gateway Gardens (New Pickers) Section SG, Lot 170? I am afraid he might not have a marker.
Ms. Kupper, now that I’m intrigued, and you have the section and lot number, I might go take a look this Saturday.
Thank you for your interest and willingness to look, I feel it might be hopeless. I went to the cemetery when in St. Louis on June 4 and didn’t have much luck. I met a gentleman named Dan who is very familiar with Gatewood Gardens. He helped me find the Single Grave area, but there were only a few headstones and their locations were confusing. However, I did get a sense of the area of my great grandfather’s gravesite, so I introduced myself and shared a few thoughts and prayers. So sorry I know so little about him and sad that I don’t know exactly where he is buried. At least I made an attempt.
I did make it out there and took some photographs of the remaining grave markers in the single lot section. I am going to attempt to use those graves to figure out the numbering system, and hopefully narrow down with more accuracy where your family member might be buried. Stay tuned! I’m glad you were able to make it out there.
I was wondering if you could help me. My great-great grandfather is buried at Gatewood Gardens. His name was Wm. (William) Eierkuss. He is listed in section B2P lot 422. Where is that located in the cemetary? I’m hoping to get there at some point. He has a find a grave entry but no picture. Thanks in advance
I’ve been doing some investigating of this cemetery recently, trying to figure out how it is organized. I will give an update sometime this fall.
I went by there today and I think I have figured it out. I think the B2P section is on the south side of Gravois next to Saint Peter and Paul cemetary. There is a sign that lists Block 1-6. In the Block 2 section I found along the west fence (along a residential alley way) I found some headstones that the saintlouismo.gov website lists as B2P. Right there is a a field that has no markers. I read that these are pauper graves and have no markers. I think that is where my great great grandparents William and Helina Eierkuss are.
Fantastic! Thank you for your help.
I am looking for information on my great grandmother, Rose Bertha Loesch. She was born on 6/26/1886 and died on 10/17/1955. Her death certificate said she was buried in New Pickers. Would you please let me know what plot she was buried in and if there is a grave marker?
Thank you,
Barb Ochoa
She is buried in the section of the cemetery that are single graves “SG” and grave number 1216. Unfortunately, I do not know if there is a gravestone or not.
Thank you so much for your help!