The History of Sunset Hills Cemetery

The following history of the beginning of Sunset Hills Cemetery is written by Fred F. Willson, the son of General and Mrs. Lester S. Willson who were among Bozeman’s earliest citizens.

My recollection of the acquisition of Sunset Hills Cemetery is partly from hearsay and partly from events which I know to have happened in the home of my parents, General Lester S. and Emma D. Willson.

In July, 1872, Lord and Lady Blackmore of London, England, who were on a world sight-seeing tour, arrived in Bozeman by stage coach. Their visit here was for the purpose of organizing a party to take them to see the area which is now Yellowstone Park and about which there was little known at that time. Hotel accommodations in those days were not the best and it was arranged that the couple would stay at our home which then was a log cabin located about where the Baltimore Hotel now stands.

While Lord Blackmore was arranging for the party which was to take them to the Yellowstone, Lady Blackmore was not feeling well and it was decided that she would remain at our home while the others made the trip to the Park area. Shortly after the party left on that trip Lady Blackmore’s illness took a sudden turn for the worse. Recognizing the seriousness of her illness, my parents sent a messenger to overtake the sight-seeing party and bring Lord Blackmore back to Bozeman. Lord Blackmore did return with all possible speed but there was nothing that could be done and within a very short time, Lady Blackmore died.

Before leaving London, Lord and Lady Blackmore had agreed that, in event of the death of either of them while on their trip, the remaining one would arrange for the burial of the deceased at the place where death occurred. There was no cemetery in Bozeman so Lord Blackmore purchased five acres on the point of the hill to the southeast of and overlooking what was then Bozeman and gave it to the town for use as a cemetery. Additional ground has been added from time to time to that original small tract to make up the beautiful area which is now Sunset Hills Cemetery.

A pyramidal monument was later placed at the grave of Lady Blackmore on which a bronze plaque is enscribed as follows:

July 18, 1872 – Cemetery Plot was purchased and presented to Bozeman by Lord Blackmore to show his appreciation of the kindness of the citizens to him and his wife.

Following the funeral Lord Blackmore, instead of coming back to Bozeman, departed on foot to the east. It is understood that he overtook his party and made the trip to the Yellowstone but he never returned to Bozeman.

Mt. Blackmore, one of the beautiful mountains which can be seen to the south from Sunset Hills Cemetery, was named in memory of Lord Blackmore and his wife.

Taken from: Facts you should know about Sunset Hills Cemetery ~ December 1, 1955