The Rich History of Knopf
Knopf Cemetery was founded by settlers of German heritage from the Alsace region of France when Buffalo Grove was a cluster of farms. Alsace is a small area in northeastern France on the border with Germany that has been fought over between the two countries for centuries. The settlers who left Europe for America organized an Evangelical church in what is now Long Grove in 1845. In 1853, the church acquired the land for Knopf Cemetery as a gift from Alsatian settlers Henry and Magdalena Knopf. The Evangelical church eventually became Grace United Methodist Church. The church closed in 1985 and deeded Knopf Cemetery to Kingswood, which has managed it since through a Committee of Trustees.
For many years there were few burials at Knopf even though approximately half of the cemetery was not filled with graves. To preserve the cemetery and provide End of Life Options for the Kingswood community, the trustees announced on Memorial Day, 2019 that the cemetery would be reopened to sales of plots and new burials. The trustees also opened the cemetery to cremation burials and approved the construction of a memorial wall to honor those whose ashes are interred at Knopf. These actions are intended to preserve this historic resting place.
Memorial Day Service at Knopf
Every Memorial Day, Kingswood holds a service at the cemetery to commemorate those who have gone before us. The service includes music, readings, a keynote speech, prayers, and a Boy Scouts’ American flag retirement ceremony. The event aims to provide the community with an opportunity to pause our busy lives and reflect on loved ones we have lost as well as those who gave their lives for our freedom.
