ON A BRISK FALL DAY IN 1990-something, The kids from Naval Avenue school took a field trip. We all linked hands to form a long chain, bookended by teachers and chaperones. Under their watchful eyes, we walked the old, uneven sidewalks four blocks to the gates of the Ivy Green Cemetery. After a quick lecture about respecting the dead, we were turned loose. It may have been the most life the cemetery has ever seen. Large pieces of drawing paper and crayons were distributed for grave rubbings, with instructions to do the math.
Around noon, we all opened up our lunches and had a picnic, marveling over our rubbings. It quickly became a competition. Who had the oldest person, the youngest, the coolest looking headstone? I had never been to a cemetery before and I thought it was beautiful, full of green grass and ancient trees and small stone statues. Is it strange to have a favorite cemetery? Probably.
Ivy Green was Bremerton’s first cemetery but in a strange twist of fate, it was also Charleston’s first cemetery. When they were separate settlements, they each put their cemeteries at the edge of town. As the towns grew into each other, so did the cemeteries. They were officially combined by removing a chunk of 13th street. If you look, the power lines are still there, running between the headstones. The Charleston section dates back to 1897 while Bremerton clocks in at 1902.
There’s something interesting inside its wrought iron gates for everyone. Want to meet the Gorsts, or Mr. Dietz, or the Warren that we named Warren avenue after? They’re there. Feeling sad about Harrison Hospital? The tomb of the Harrisons has a beautiful little memorial on it to the hospital that they built for us.
Just need a place to take your dog for a walk in the concrete jungle? Doggie bags are by the caretaker’s house.
If you’re craving something flashier, may I recommend our miniature Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? In 1945, near Iwo Jima, the U.S.S. Saratoga was bombed and shelled beyond belief before the kamikaze pilots flew their planes straight into the ship. 123 men died that night. Saratoga limped to Bremerton for repairs. She arrived with 61 of those men still aboard, unidentifiable. We buried them in Ivy Green and gave them their very own tomb of the unknowns.
Or, how about a medal of honor recipient? John Nibbe was the quartermaster of the U.S.S. Peterel during the Civil War. They were up a river in Mississippi when they came under fire. A shot hit the boilers and they exploded. Everyone else abandoned ship. Nibbe stood his ground despite the smoke and hot, hissing steam. He got the wounded to shore and was preparing to return fire when the enemy surrounded him, the only man left on board.
If you’re looking for something spooky to do this October, you should go see Ivy Green. Bring some crayons and some paper. It’s open from 8 a.m. to sunset, when they lock the gates. Don’t get locked in. 😉 // DEENA TAYLOR
DEENA TAYLOR WRITES, HOSTS & PRODUCES the local history podcast Bremelore. Keep a look out for new episodes dropping this month at bremelore.wtf or wherever you podcast. And if you’re in the mood for a hallow walk in the graveyard, Kitsap has more than two dozen in addition to Bremerton’s Ivy Green.