Directions from State College:

Take Route 26 west from State College (College Avenue), and go approximately five miles to Pine Grove Mills. At the traffic light, turn right on Nixon Road. The cemetery is about 650 feet, on the left.

Map:

A map of the cemetery has been added in photos that has a diagram of the grave locations.

History:

Bu 1896, the old cemetery in Pine Grove Mills was very crowded , and it was felt that a new one was needed. In April 1896, an option was obtained by Rev.Charles T. Aikens for a piece of land on the northern edge of town, owned by J.B. and W.P. Ard. J.M. Kepler, D.G. Meek, John Musser, Jr., P. F. Bottorf, and Rev Aikens subscribed funds for the purchase. On April 28, 1896, they met at the home of J. M. Kepler to organize the Pine Grove Mills Cemetery Association with J. M. Kepler as president, Charles T. Aiken as Secretary, and John Musser, Mr. as Treasurer. The association was incorporated on June 8, 1896 by the act of Cente County Courthouse.

The cemetery was opened to the public on July 4, 1896 and the first burial was on Sunday August when a five year old child of the late Cyrus Goss was buried. Consecration of the cemetery was held on September 27, 1896, with about three hundred persons attending.

At the meeting on June 29, 1896, the fence was contracted at $1.13 per lineal foot. W. D. Port was elected Sexton to dig graves ($3.00 per adult and $2.00 per child under twelve) and to take charge of the grounds.

In September 7, 1896, a balance of $8.75 was on hand and it was decided that all expenses must be paid with money received from the sale of lots. In November the assoication members reported a deficit of $66.48 and authorized the treasurer to obtaini a loan to pay the outstanding bills.

In January 1897, the rules and regulations of the cemetery were adopted. Included were such items as:

• person have free choice of unsold lots at prices fixed according to the size and location of the lot. (In 1902, cost of the lots ranged from $6 to $25. By July 1956, the cost had been set for $65 for 9'by 12' kits and $125 for 18' lots. The 1956 prices included perpetual care.)
• payment in full must be made within thirty days or at such time as may be arranged.
• if purchaser defaults on payment, the lot will be declared vacant and the sexton will remove all bodies, monuments and fixtures after notice has been given.
• owners have the right to erect proper monuments on their los subject to the approval of the board of trustees and such structures must extend at least two and a half feet beneath the surface of the ground.

In 1907, a fee of $.50 was assessed for each lot where the owner did not mow the grass. Perpetual care was not yet the norm.

This cemetery is an active well cared for cemetery. It is owned and managed by the Pine Grove Mills Cemetery Association, Incorporated, Ferguson Township, Centre County, PA

Source:

The cemeteries of Ferguson Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania printed in 1998 and 2011 by the Centre County Genealical Association. pages 39-56