White Rose Cemetery
Attractions, Culture & History
804 W. 11TH STREET,
Bartlesville, OK 74003
The cemetery grounds are open for visitation from dawn until dusk. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 am "“ 12 pm and 1 pm "“ 4 pm. The office is closed on weekends and holidays observed by the City of Bartlesville.
THE CEMETERY
In October 1898, the City of Bartlesville set out to establish a City Cemetery. On February 24, 1899, a cemetery was laid out south of town. At first it was called the City Cemetery, later Union Cemetery and then about 1905 it became White Rose Cemetery. On April 29, 1904, the Cherokee Nation deeded ten acres known as McCaleb’s Addition to the Incorporated town of Bartlesville, Indian Territory for land to be used for a cemetery. The cemetery now totals about twenty acres and holds over 12,000 graves. The earliest recorded burial was of two month old, Golda M. Hartman, who died February 17, 1893. The first recorded sale of a plot was that of George Johnson
in September 1906. Because they were buried before official records were kept, many of the remains of the early city’s dead lie in graves that are unmarked.
In 1900 the first Memorial Day celebration to honor service men and women who are buried at White Rose was held. These services are still held each year on Memorial Day.In March 1907 the Bartlesville Ladies Cemetery Association was organized to cooperate in the care and improvement of the cemetery. In October of 1999 the Bartlesville City Council appointed a White Rose Cemetery Board as an advisory board to the City in connection with preservation, beautification and enhancement of the grounds.
THE MAUSOLEUM
In 1921, the Bartlesville city commissioners and C.E. Bryan, manager of the Bartlesville
Mausoleum Company, reached an agreement to begin the construction of a mausoleum at
White Rose Cemetery. Hugh Bryant, Bartlesville merchant, financier and pioneer
business man was the founder and owner of the mausoleum The 15,000 square foot Mausoleum Building is in the Greek Neoclassic style, housing over 500 crypts. It is constructed of concrete with white stone exterior, the roof of vitrified tile and the entire interior made of white marble. The
windows are made of ornamental leaded glass and the doors and gates of bronze.
In 1954 the Mausoleum Association entered into a trust agreement with the City of
Bartlesville, whereby the mausoleum was turned over to the city. Mr. Bryant died in 1958 and was buried in the mausoleum with Masonic Rites.