Entrance to Mount Muncie Cemetery in Lansing. Mount Muncie Cemetery (1866) is tucked into a hillside along the Lansing/Leavenworth border and within view of Leavenworth National Cemetery. It has many famous graves, including Kansas' second Governor, Fred Harvey (Harvey House Restaurants), D. R. Anthony (Susan B's brother and important in Kansas during the Bloody years) and Walter Cronkite's mother. The most infamous graves are those of prisoners that were hung at the nearby Lansing Correctional Facility, including the murderers from Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Mount Muncie Cemetery also contains two "baby mounds" of infant and children's graves. They are unique to this cemetery, or at least the name for them is unique. A detailed web search could find no other mentions of them. The baby mounds are concentric rings of small headstones surrounding a small sculpture. The earliest mound appears to have nearly 1000 graves. 732 were buried there just in the first 11 years that the cemetery was open. Many of those in the first burials were eventually moved to family plots, and I'm not sure if those graves were reused, or the stones left behind. The newest baby mound is still in use and has 363 stones at this writing. The stones in the outer, more recent rings are flat. The following tour will take you past many of the more interesting features of Mount Muncie Cemetery. You may drive or walk the tour route. Mount Muncie Cemetery walking or driving tour Mount Muncie's entrance is at the northwest corner of the cemetery. Upon entering, take the first roadway to the right. The Harvey family plot is the 3rd group on your left. Lot 17, section 5. The large family stone with the "Harvey" name is facing away from the roadway. In 1876 Fred Harvey founded the chain of Harvey House restaurants, starting with one in the Santa Fe depot in Topeka, Kansas. In addition to good food and fair prices, the restaurant had linen table cloths and napkins. 5 years later, Harvey replaced the male servers with women who became know as "Harvey Girls." They maintained high standards for service, moral character and wore distinctive uniforms. By the time of his death in 1901, there were 47 Harvey House Restaurants, 15 hotels, and 30 dining cars.
Continue along the same road, going around the Stilling monument, which is on an island in the middle of the road, to section 56. The above ground grave of the "Prince of Mingrelia" is 2/3 of the distance to the next roadway, about 15 feet off to the right. The Dadiani name is not visible until you are past the grave. Dadiani was a Georgian family of nobles that ruled the Georgian province of Samegrelo. In 1557, Duke Levan I Dadiani became hereditary Prince of Mingrelia and established himself as an independent ruler. All of his descendants are qualified to use the title of Prince. The last throne holder was Prince Niko Dadiani, who renounced his rights in 1868. Princess Eleanor was the great granddaughter of DR Anthony and a co-owner of the Leavenworth Times.
Continue to the next roadway, turning left at the mausoleum and traveling about 60 feet to the intersection of 5 roadways. The Carney family stone is the tall narrow white stone straight across the intersection at edge of section 15. Thomas Carney was the second Governor of Kansas. He also served as a member of the Kansas State House of Representatives, and as Mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas.
Take the road to the right of the Carney monument. Section 22 is on your right and the Anthony family monument is near the road, just past the mausoleum. This monument commemorates the lives of several family members, including D. R. Anthony and his son Daniel Read Anthony, Jr. Colonel David Read Anthony published the Leavenworth Daily Times for nearly 40 years. Women's suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony was his sister. He was a member of the first colony sent to Kansas Territory in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Society of Massachusetts. During the Civil War he joined the 1st Kansas Cavalry, which later became the 7th Kansas Volunteers. He victoriously commanded the 7th at the Battle of the Little Blue. In his later years he also served as Leavenworth Postmaster, Leavenworth Mayor and was a founder of the Kansas State Historical Society. Daniel Read Anthony, Jr. also published the Daily Times and was a US Congressman for 22 years. The Anthony family continued to publish the Daily Times until 1966.
The headstone for Walter Cronkite's mother is just 2 lots farther east. A flat stone about 15 feet from the road.
Mount Muncie Cemetery tour - page
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