History
Gardiner Cemetery, also known as Tinker's Hill Cemetery, is located just outside the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana. The first "official" burial is thought to be John Hartz, a 60-year-old tinsmith who died on October 3, 1886. At the time of its establishment, the cemetery was outside park boundaries. Today, it is privately owned by the Eagles’ Club of Gardiner, which recently disbanded. Representatives are working to get Yellowstone National Park to accept the cemetery. The cemetery appeared to be in good condition during a recent visit. Many graves from the 1880s and 1890s are unmarked due to fallen stones and neglect, with at least 50 to 77 unmarked graves. Records list approximately 200 memorials for the cemetery.
The cemetery is closely tied to the history of Gardiner, a gateway town to Yellowstone National Park. The Roosevelt Arch, dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt on April 24, 1903, is a significant historical landmark nearby. The arrival of the railroad in Gardiner in 1903, replacing the earlier Cinnabar station, led to the development of the Gardiner train station and the proposal for the arch as part of the station ensemble.
Horr, later known as Aldridge, is a ghost town in Park County, Montana, situated two miles north of the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Its history began in 1872 with Major Horr's discovery of coal veins. The Horr Coal Company, formed in 1882, evolved into the Montana Coal Company, becoming a major supplier of coke and coal to smelters for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. Mining operations shifted to Aldridge after a new coal vein discovery in 1892, and by 1897, Horr's mines were abandoned.
An electric plant built in Horr before 1904 led to the town being renamed Electric. In 1906, Aldridge absorbed Electric and was incorporated. Despite initial promise, the Montana Coal Company's default on bond payments in 1910 led to the closure of all mining operations, transforming Aldridge into a ghost town. Today, some buildings remain in ruins, with coal deposits still present in the area.
Landscape and markers
The cemetery is a physical record of the harshness of the frontier. The dates carved into the markers tell a story of brief booms and sudden collapses, of winters that took the young and mining accidents that took the strong. To walk among these graves is to feel the immense weight of the past pressing down on the present landscape.
Who is buried here
The stones here tell the story of the settlement. John Hartz (c. 1826 - Oct. 3, 1886) - A 60-year-old tinsmith, thought to be the first "official" burial at the cemetery. Fannie Fitzgerald (c. 1866 - July 11, 1888) - Died of puerperal fever six days after childbirth; her grave is one of the earliest marked. David Fitzgerald (July 5, 1888 - July 26, 1888) - Infant son of Fannie Fitzgerald, died 15 days after his mother. Ambrose Fitzgerald (1864 - June 9, 1895) - Older brother of Henry Fitzgerald, died at age 30. Willie Fitzgerald (March 19, 1893 - February 21, 1900) - Son of Ambrose Fitzgerald, died at age six from spinal meningitis. Hazel Fitzgerald (March 29, 1895 - Jan. 9, 1908) - Daughter of Ambrose Fitzgerald, died at age 13. "Uncle" John Yancey (1826 - May 7, 1903) - A Montana pioneer who established a way station and hotel in Pleasant Valley; died of pneumonia shortly after attending the Roosevelt Arch dedication. Beamand "Beam" Amsden Jr. (16 Sep 1855 - 26 Mar 1938) Louisa Jane Martin Amsden (16 Dec 1860 - 2 Mar 1947) PFC Henry Leroy Anderson (25 Aug 1912 - 12 Mar 1962) - Veteran
Visiting
Gardiner Cemetery, also known as Tinker's Hill Cemetery, is located just outside the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana. It is very close to "downtown" Gardiner, making it an easy trip to make. The article notes that getting to the cemetery wasn't difficult, and while the gates looked locked, the chain was only secured with a wire that could be unwound. The cemetery is privately owned by the Eagles’ Club of Gardiner, which recently disbanded, and representatives are working to get Yellowstone National Park to accept the cemetery. It appeared to be in good shape during a recent visit. ## Related places