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Keeler Cemetery
A small graveyard near Keeler on the north shore of Owens lake.
Keeler itself grew during the silver boom at nearby Cerro Gordo when ore was taken from the mines, smelted, and shipped out across Owens Lake or to the Carson & Colorado Railway. The cemetery holds early settlers, miners, and families who lived in Keeler and the surrounding areas.
Over time, the cemetery had become somewhat abandoned, representing weathered tombstones and markers. Headstones have ranged from simple designs and wooden crosses to elaborate stone markers. Many belonged to people of the last quarter of the 19th and early 20th century and told something of who created this rich history over the region.
Today, Keeler Cemetery is more of a quiet-if not haunting-stop for visitors who make their way through and learn about a town tied in by hopes and dreams to the mining industry. Keeler itself has its place within the greater historical record of the Owens Valley, including the famous Owens Valley Water Wars that contributed to the decline of many towns in the region.
