Thomson Memorial

Thomson Memorial Cemetery was established in 1853 when the Bethany Methodist Church moved from 1 mile north of Thomson and established the First United Methodist Church on Main Street. The land for the cemetery was deeded by James R. Wilson. The earliest marked grave is that of Mary Sutton, who died on June 5, 1855. In 1932 funds were raised to replace the wire fence with the iron one that presently surrounds the cemetery. As of 2008, there are 1086 graves, marked and unmarked, in the cemetery.

The Thomson Memorial Cemetery represents part of the 19th century “Rural Cemetery Movement” (1830) which advocated moving cemeteries away from church-yards into more park-like settings, often on a high rise or bluff - considered prettier and more healthful; cemeteries became sites of recreation, picnics and family outings. Lawn cemeteries or memorial gardens emerged in the 20th century to retain a park-like atmosphere.