On a picturesque hill less than half a mile west of Bradley SD is where 1053 people rest in the Prairie Hill Cemetery. Over 135 years later original heritage evergreens tower above headstones dating from 1880. Countless hours of volunteer help and generous donations have maintained this small town cemetery. There are 1442 total graves with 190 of those available.
Every Memorial Day at Prairie Hill the Larry F. Hartman Bradley American Legion Post #108 hosts a service. They perform a gun salute-taps-the poem 'In Flanders Field' is read and a wreath is layed. They also print a program with a brief bio of a specific veteran to be recognized and honored. Following this service the Cemetery Association hosts a meal at the Bradley Community Center. The year 2026 will mark 105 years of serving this meal!
We provide perpetual care for each burial site. Services for cremation burials are offered for those who are unable to travel to Prairie Hill or for those wanting private burial services.
Established-
1888-Cottonwood Township purchased three acres from John Walker for $50.
1906-Twenty five Bradley businessmen and their wives established the Ladies Cemetery Association.
1908-The iron gate and archway were placed and 120 trees were planted.
1920-B.F. and Rose Bender/Ladies Cemetery Association purchased an additional three acres for $750.
1921-Cemetery Association began hosting an annual community meal in conjuction with Memorial Day services at the cemetery which still continues today.
2016-Connie Merkel donated one acre to the east.
Improvements-
2009-Identified 112 unmarked graves and dug in cement markers with brass nameplates.
-Removed 1920’s fencing and refurbished 1908 Prairie Hill arched sign.
-Removed diseased trees and planted 31 memorial blue spruce trees with engraved brick markers.
-Larry F. Hartman Bradley American Legion Post #108 dedicated black granite Veterans Memorial monument bearing the names of local veterans.
-Flagpoles were installed along the west driveway and near the veterans monument.
-Two memorial benches were placed near the monument. One is In Loving Memory of Lyle Stern from daughters Trudi and Heidi and families. The other a Salute to Veterans from the Russell and Clara Neal family.
-Weatherproof locator box was placed opposite the Veterans Memorial. A bench In Loving Memory of Ralph and Helen Schulz was placed nearby.
2013-The area around locator box and Prairie Hill sign was landscaped (donated).
2016-Forty+ diseased trees and stumps were removed.
2017-Removed old fence on east border and replaced with a new fence (donated).
-50 headstones were leveled and 21 were cemented/reinforced.
-Rural waterline and two hydrants installed one each in Block D and Block E (hydrants donated).
2018-All roads were graveled with a plan to create a road around Block F (donated).
2019-Storage shed was placed in the southeast corner of the property (donated).
2020-Virtual cemetery was created by www.gravediscover.com
2016-2021: 900+ stones cleaned removing years of biological growth (donated).
