Lakeview Cemetery in Polson lies southeast of town on bluffs overlooking Flathead Lake. My assessment of the cemetery came during the mid-May 2023 period when smoke from Canadian wildfires had blown into northern Montana. But even on a smoky day the cemetery views are impressive.

The cemetery is one of the town’s oldest historic resources. Its drives hug the hilly topography and provide landscaped settings for a wide range of grave marker types.

The hilly nature of the cemetery, generally, means that different sections are associated with distinct chronological periods. You literally walk, or drive, through Polson’s history from the early 20th century to the 21st century.

The veterans section would be an exception to the cemetery’s general patterns. Here are veterans from World War 1 to the modern conflicts of the present cemetery.

A smoky day meant limited walking around this local landmark. Thus, my assessment is also limited. But as these images indicate, Lakeview Cemetery dates to the town’s founding generation. It’s range of grave markers reflect the impact of fraternal lodges and military service in local history. And the landscaping of the cemetery impressively uses the natural contours of the place itself, along with the ornamental plantings and trees, to identify a place of meaning and repose for local residents and visitors alike.