Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is a VA national cemetery in Port Huron, Michigan. VA lists it as closed to new burials. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Lakeside Cemetery was established in 1877 when the city of Port Huron, Michigan, purchased 148 acres from local resident John Hoffman. At one point the cemetery comprised 176 acres, but over time it was reduced to the current size of 96.5 acres.

The Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot encompasses lots 144 - 159. The 0.174-acre parcel was donated to the United States in 1881, when 135 remains from Old Fort Gratiot were re-interred at the cemetery. There were two installations known as Fort Gratiot; the first dated from 1814-1821, the second from 1828-1879. Both were located on the same site, on the west bank of the St. Clair River, approximately two miles south of Lakeside Cemetery. Of the 135 interments in the soldiers' lot, only 35 are known.

Monuments and Memorials On July 7, 1884, the federal government dedicated a monument at the Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot to honor the unknown soldiers from Fort Gratiot who fell victims to the cholera epidemic, July 4, to 18, 1832. Built by Philo Truesdell of the Port Huron Marble and Granite Works, the shaft is constructed of Concord granite. A marble statue of a Union soldier attired in "those articles used in the [Civil] war" stands on top of the column. The monument is 24 feet in height, and cost $1,500 to complete.

Directions

Directions from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (Detroit, MI): Follow I-94 E to Port Huron. Take exit 275 from I-94 E. Exit road becomes Harker Street. Drive to 10th Avenue and turn left (north). Cemetery located just beyond Holland Avenue.

Directions from Bishop International Airport (Flint, MI): Get on I-69 E from W Bristol Road. Take the I 69/I-94 E Bus Loop exit toward Port Huron. Take exit 275 from I-94 E. Exit road becomes Harker Street. Drive to 10th Avenue and turn left (north). Cemetery located just beyond Holland Avenue.

Flowers and grounds rules

An American flag and fresh cut flowers (in non-glass containers) may be placed at the head of a grave for not more than 10 days immediately prior to or after Memorial Day or Veteran's Day each year.

Winter decorations are allowed from November 15 through March 31 and will be removed and disposed of without notice beginning April 1 of each year.

Who can be buried at Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

• A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government-provided burial liner
• A government-provided headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

VA lists Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot directly at 248-328-0386.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

• Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
• Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
• Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Michigan law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Michigan and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, by straight-line distance:

• Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, MI: 61 mi, open for burials
• Confederate Stockade Cemetery, Sandusky, OH: 108 mi, closed to new in-ground burials
• Ohio Veterans Home Cemetery, Sandusky, OH: 111 mi, open for burials