Osseo Cemetery Renamed to Reflect ‘Changing Demographics’

An Osseo cemetery that’s more than a 150 years old now has a new name.

The Niggler Cemetery was officially renamed over the weekend to Open Gate Cemetery.

The cemetery was first established in 1868. At the time, it was called The Freie Gemeinde Cemetery (Freie Gemeinde is German for “Free Community” or “Free Thinkers”). The name was changed in 1918 to recognize the land donation made by resident Rudolph Niggler.

Over the weekend, the nonprofit organization that manages the cemetery changed the name to Open Gate Cemetery to help increase awareness of the cemetery and to reflect the changing demographics in the Osseo, Maple Grove area.

Open Gate Cemetery is located at 124 West Broadway in Osseo.

“We’re quite a benefit to the city in that we take all-comers,” said Larry Phenow, cemetery association president. “We’re interested in all families, all race, creed, color and religion; which is unique in this particular part of northern Hennepin County.”

The cemetery has several hundred plots available. Some of the future improvements the cemetery association plans to make include better signage so people know where the cemetery is located, and creating an online database to find out more about who’s buried there.

Related: Osseo’s Niggler Cemetery Turns 150, Celebration Sunday

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