University in Salt Lake City in Salt Lake County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Written in Stone

The Markers of Fort Douglas Post Cemetery

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, May 29, 2026

1. Written in Stone Marker

Inscription. In early February 1863, a procession of soldiers, officers, and coffins winds its waytoward the new cemetery at Camp Douglas. Fifteen men killed at the Battle of Bear River will be buried today. More men will succumb to their wounds in the following days. After the funeral, Sergeant James Contell requests permission to create a memorial to his fallen comrades. Local stonemason Samuel L. Jones is commissioned to complete a sandstone monument to honor the dead and headstones to mark their graves.

The Sandstone Markers
Between 1863 and 1865, the graves of most soldiers and civilitans buried at Camp Douglas Cemetery were marked with headstones hand-carved from locally-quarried Red Butte sandstone. Over the years, time, weather, and pollution eroded the carefully crafter inscriptions. Gradually, deteriorated sandstone markers were replaced with modern headstones until only 21 original sandstone markers remained. In 2013, the remaning 21 markers were carefully removed from the cemetery to prevent furher deterioration. Today these important examples of early Utah craftsmanship are preserved nearby at Fort Douglas Military

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Museum.

The Stonemasons
Samuel L. Jones, William Ward, Jr., Charles Lambert, and William Warner Player were English stonemasons who converted to Mormonism and immigrated to the United States between 1847 and 1862. The four men were master craftsmen in Great Salt Lake City and produced over 100 markers for soldiers and their families. At least 18 markers at Fort Douglas Post Cemetery are attributed to Samuel L. Jones. In 1864, Jones and James Contrell were commissioned to design and carve the Bear River Monument to honor soldiers buried at the cemetery. The following year, Lambert and Player created the monument to Territorial Govenor James D. Doty.

Military Grave Markers
Before 1861. soliers were often buried at the battle site with little or no ceremony. Galvanized by the enormous loss of life during the Civil War, the federal government took on the responsibility to mark the graves of people who served their country. Originally, Civil War markers were wooden headboards. When these became too costly to maintin, white marble markers featuring a shield were instituted. A new marker was introduced after World War I. It included

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, May 29, 2026

2. Written in Stone Marker

name, rank, regiment, division, dave of death, home state, and a religious emblem. After World War II, date of birth and the name of the conflice in which the person participated were added.

Major General P. Edward Connor
1862
Colonel P. Edward Connor and troops under his command establish Camp Couglas and Post Cemetery. Connor is buried at the cemetery in 1891.

Bear River Momument carved by Samuel L. Jones
1863
Friction between Indians and settlers causes troops stations at Camp Douglas to attack a Shoshone village on the Bear River in Idaho. Hundreds of Shoshone are killed. Twenty-three soldiers die and are buried in the Camp Douglas Cemetery.

The gate, wall, and black locust trees at Camp Douglas Cemetery
1864
Samuel L. Jones and James Contell design and carve a red sandstone memorial and headstones for the men killed at Bear River. Soldiers build a sandstone wall around the cemetery and erect an iron gate at the entrance. Black locust trees are planted inside the cemetery along the wall.

Gernal Prisoner of War Monument
1933
A monument to 21 German prisoners of war who died at Fort Douglas during World War

Cemetery Gate image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, May 29, 2026

3. Cemetery Gate

Mentioned in marker.

I is erected at Post Cemetery. The monument is designed by German-born artist Arno Steinecke and dedicated on May 30, 1933.

A modern view of th cemetery
1975
Fort Douglas and Post Cemetery are designated a National Historic Landmark. The landmark includes 53 acres of the main cantonment and Post Cemetery.

Removal of sandstone markers, March 2013
2013
To prevent further deteriortaiton, 21 sandstone markers are removed from Fort Douglas Post Cemetery and preserved nearby at Fort Douglas Military Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.

Location. 40° 45.634′ N, 111° 49.481′ W. Marker is in Salt Lake City, Utah, in Salt Lake County. It is in University. It is on Chipeta Way, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 375 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City UT 84108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Wasatch Front

and in Greater Salt Lake.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and on the Colorado Plateau.

Bear River Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, May 29, 2026

4. Bear River Monument

As mentioned in marker.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fort Douglas Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Patrick Edward Connor (within shouting distance of this marker); On the Edge of Wilderness (approx. ¼ mile away); Rock solid support for the Natural History Museum of Utah (approx. ¼ mile away); All Gave Some...Some Gave All (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Rock of the Marne (approx. half a mile away); 96th "Deadeyes" (approx. half a mile away); Fort Douglas Post Theater (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Salt Lake City.

German War Prisoners Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jeremy Snow, May 29, 2026

5. German War Prisoners Monument

As mentioned in marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 1, 2026, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. This page has been viewed 21 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 1, 2026, by Jeremy Snow of Cedar City, Utah. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.