Status: Defunct, a city park since about 1925.

According to a published history of St. Joseph's parish, prior to the creation of the cemetery, parishioners were buried in the churchyard surrounding the church. Its unknown (and unlikely) these remains were exhumed and reinterred in the cemetery when it was created.

Also known as: the "Old Cemetery" in city directories circa 1902 to early 1920s or the "Old Catholic Cemetery" in a history of St. Joseph's parish. St. Joseph's was the only Catholic Parish in Escanaba until St. Anne's was completed in 1887.

Years Active: circa 1873 - mid/late 1880s
The land was transferred and transformed into a city park in 1925.

History:
The cemetery opened circa 1873 when land was purchased for burial use in correlation with the completion of the second parish church building in the same year. It may have been the only cemetery in Escanaba from circa 1873-1878 prior to the development of Lake View Cemetery. During this period it seems non-Catholics were also buried there, as many were re-interred at Lake View when it was completed. The site ceased to be used for a cemetery circa the mid/late 1880s when land was bought for a new Catholic cemetery. (The new St. Joseph's Cemetery was combined in 1946 and renamed Holy Cross Cemetery with adjacent land purchased by St Anne's Parish circa 1887 for their cemetery). After this to to Approximately the 1910s-1930s the site was abandoned and in disrepair; The city took over ownership and is assumed to have moved any remaining markers then to Lake View Cemetery. The site was redeveloped into a city park and named "Rose Park" as well. It can be assumed any graves unmarked at the time of redevelopment were likely unknown and undisturbed.

Sources:
* Information presented here is courtesy of the Delta County Historical Society and Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Parish.