In the early 1850s, the towns of Westport and Kansas found themselves in a quandary. The cholera epidemic of 1849 filled the cemeteries of both communities. With expanding boundaries and increasing populations, city leaders started looking for more burial space.

 In 1857, their search ended when James M. Hunter deeded 49 acres to the Union Cemetery Association. The corporation was organized by a special act of the Missouri General Assembly on November 9, 1857. The new cemetery was located between Westport and the town of Kansas and was to be used by both towns, becoming a "union" between the two. That is how Union Cemetery got its name.

When Union Cemetery was dedicated, it was thought that the 49 acres would accommodate all the deceased in Westport and Kansas City for all time. Little did city leaders suspect that Westport and Kansas City would become one community and that Union Cemetery would lie in the midst of a busy metropolitan area. Read More...