Oakland Cemetery was deeded to "the people of Iowa City" by the Iowa territorial legislature on Feb. 13, 1843. The original plot was one block square, with the southwest corner at Governor and Church. Over the years, the cemetery has been expanded and now encompasses 40 acres. Oakland Cemetery is a non-perpetual care cemetery and is supported by city taxes. The staff is strongly committed to the maintenance and preservation of privately owned lots and accessories.

Since its establishment, the cemetery has become the final resting place of many important people in the history of Iowa, of Iowa City, and the University of Iowa. These include Robert E. Lucas, first governor of the territory (1838-41); Samuel J. Kirkwood, governor during the Civil War (1860-64), again in 1876, a U.S. senator in 1877, and subsequently, secretary of the interior and U.S. minister to Spain; well-known presidents of the university, Walter A. Jessup (1915-33) and Virgil M. Hancher (1940-64); Cordelia Swan, daughter of one of the three commissioners who selected the site for Iowa City and the new territorial capitol; and Irving B. Weber (1900-1997), noted Iowa City historian.

It is also home to the legendary 8.5-foot tall monument called the Black Angel, erected for the Feldevert family in 1912. The facts behind the Black Angel long ago gave way to myths, superstitions, and legends surrounding its mysterious change in color from a golden bronze cast to an eerie black.

The Black Angel

Teresa Dolezal Feldevert was born in 1836 in Strmilov, Bohemia where she became a practicing physician. Teresa and her son, Eddie Dolezal, moved to Iowa City where she worked as a midwife. Their stay in Iowa City lasted until 1891 when Eddie died of meningitis at the age of 18. He was then buried in the east half of Lot #4 in block #9 of the Cemetery. There, Teresa had a tree stump monument erected on his grave. She then moved to Eugene, Oregon where she married Nicholas Feldevert, who died in 1911. Following his death, she returned to Iowa City and commissioned Mario Korbel, a Bohemian artist in Chicago, to design the $5,000 bronze monument to tower over the remains of her son and the ashes of her late husband. The Angel arrived on a flatcar in Iowa City on November 21, 1912.

Over the years, the Angel has stirred up many stories, starting with the date it was actually erected. In accordance with oral history provided by many longtime Iowa City residents, the Angel was installed upon arrival in 1912. According to other publications, it was stored in a barn for six years and was not erected until 1918 following a court case brought against the artist by Teresa. She refused to pay the $5,000 because it did not meet her specifications to include a replica of her son's tree stump monument within it. She eventually lost the case.

Sometime following its installation, her son Eddie's monument was moved from its original location to its present site alongside the angel. His remains, along with the ashes of her late husband, were buried in repositories under the Black Angel. Teresa died of cancer on November 18, 1924, and her ashes were also buried underneath the magnificent monument.

The bronze statue is now black, caused by oxidation of the metal resulting from exposure to the elements. 

In spite of these historical facts, the legends and mystique surrounding the Black Angel continue to thrive today.

Find a Grave - Cemetery Map and Database

The City of Iowa City has an online system that allows the public to view gravesite information. While great care was taken in preparing and loading the information, the City assumes no responsibility for any errors in this presentation as it continues to be a work in progress. When accessing the database, we recommend using Google Chrome as your web browser.

Cemetery Map and Database

Important Notes

1. This link may take several minutes to open, depending upon your connection speed.
2. Click on the binoculars to enter a name to search for a specific person.
3. The scroll wheel on your mouse allows you to zoom in and out.
4. Click on the gravesite to get owner/burial information.
5. The following areas in the cemetery are not for sale at this time:
   • Outlots 1, 2, 3 & 4
   • Welfare/Block 1

Found an error or need a correction? Please email cemetery@iowa-city.org.

Columbarium

The Forestview Columbarium is a gleaming black granite wall located in the east end of Oakland Cemetery. It is lined with 352 niches for the interment of cremains, and the maximum size of a cinerary urn maybe is 9 inches high by 9 inches wide by 9.5 inches deep.

The Cherish Columbarium is the second columbarium at Oakland Cemetery, located on the far East side of the cemetery. This black granite structure has 64 niches - 32 (12"x12"x12") and 32 (12"x12"x16") for interment of cremains. The pricing will vary depending on size, height on the wall, and the side the niche is facing. Single niches are located on the North and south ends of the structure and accommodate a slightly larger cinerary urn than the Forestview Columbarium. The double or dual niches can accommodate 2 cinerary urns and are located on the West and East sides of the structure.

Lot Sales & Deed Transactions

Please contact the Oakland Cemetery office at 319-356-5105 to schedule an appointment to discuss the purchase of a lot. Staff will have available suitable plats showing size, price, and location of lots. After a lot is purchased, a deed will be mailed to the lot owner by the City Clerk's office.

Deed Transactions

A deed transaction form should be filled out to request any of the following transactions:

• Request for duplicate deed copies
• Transfers of ownership
• Re-issuance of revised deeds

Follow the instructions on each form for completion and mailing.

Rates and Charges

Interments (City Residents)

Equipment and additional services

*Actual cost when overtime is incurred.
**Can accommodate up to four cremation interments.
***Partial = open grave weekday and close weekend or open weekend and close weekday.

• Deed Transaction Form

Rules & Regulations

It is the desire of the City of Iowa City to make Oakland Cemetery a quiet, beautiful place for the deceased and visitors. Peace and good order must prevail for the sacredness of the place to be maintained at all times. It is to this end that the following rules and regulations have been established. Contact the cemetery office at 319-356-5105 to obtain information on the regulations regarding monuments, interests, and individual lot restrictions.

• Look and enjoy, but please don't touch the monuments.
• Rubbings or tracings of stones are not allowed due to the fragile nature of many of the stones.
• All dogs must be confined inside a vehicle (except for service animals).

Read the Complete Cemetery Regulations here.

Grave Decorations

Artificial wreaths, artificial flowers, and holiday decorations are welcome any time between November 15 to the end of February and for four days before and five days following Memorial Day. After that period, if not claimed, they will be removed from the site. Flags and emblems will be removed and stored, without responsibility for preservation, if still in place on the sixth day following Memorial Day.

Live flowers in plastic or paper mâché containers are welcome and may be used at all times. All wired flowers, glass jars and bottles, toys, metal containers, and other objects that might create a mowing hazard will not be permitted during the mowing season and will be removed and discarded.

Annuals or perennials may be planted adjacent to the stone if tended by the lot owner. Permission for permanent plantings, such as evergreen or shrub plantings, must be obtained from the Cemetery staff.

Application for Oakland Cemetery Controlled Uses

Are you interested in hosting an event other than a funeral service at Oakland Cemetery? Fill out the following controlled use application and submit it at least two weeks before the date of the proposed event.

Application Form for Controlled Use in Oakland Cemetery

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