The cemetery was established in 1826 at what was then the edge of the city,[2] taking its name from East 9th Street's original name.[3] It was the city's first permanent cemetery, replacing a community burial ground just south of
Public Square.[4] Many of Cleveland's earliest pioneers and leaders are buried there, including
Lorenzo Carter, the city's first permanent white settler; and
John W. Willey, the city's first
mayor.[5] The cemetery was open to members of all faiths.[3]
During the administration of Mayor
Tom L. Johnson in the early 20th century, bodies were moved from the cemetery to the municipally-owned Highland Park Cemetery, and parts of the cemetery were vacated for city streets. The Pioneers' Memorial Association was formed in 1915 to advocate for the cemetery. In 1925, its future was secured when City Manager
William R. Hopkins decided to build the
Lorain-Carnegie Bridge around, rather than through, the cemetery.[3]
Among the cemetery's more than 17,000 interments are veterans who participated in conflicts from the
Revolutionary War through the
Spanish–American War.[5] Notable burials at Erie Street Cemetery include:
Joshua Mills (1797–1843), physician and politician, Mayor of Cleveland from 1838 to 1839 and in 1842
John W. Willey (1797–1841), politician, the first mayor of Cleveland, from 1836 to 1837 (remains later removed to
Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, but headstone remains at Erie Street Cemetery)[11]