Zion Cemetery was originally part of the Zion Lutheran church. It is located on what is now the United States Department of Agriculture's Meat Animal Research Center. Zion is located six miles west and one mile north of Clay Center, Nebraska. Old history records often list this cemetery address as Glenvil, which is one mile south, four miles west, then one mile south, and another one mile west. Since the town of Glenvil was established before Clay Center, early settlers identified this as Glenvil territory.

The Zion Lutheran congregation was organized November 11, 1890. Land for the church and adjoining cemetery was given by William C. Fitzke Jr. and wife Mary Fitzke (deed recorded May 1892). The first house of worship was built and dedicated on October 25, 1891. The cemetery sits directly south of where the church buildings were located.

In 1942, World War II, the U.S. Navy took over all the land surrounding the cemetery, extending all the way to Hastings, Nebraska. On these 48,000 acres was built the Navy ammunition depot. The congregation was faced with the decision to disband or relocate. They chose to move the church building and parsonage to Clay Center. A remanent of a bomb storage facility can be seen in the picture above, beyond the cemetery gravestones.

With depot being a highly guarded, restricted area, visiting the cemetery was a special occasion. You'll notice only eight burials took place here between 1941 and 1963.

In 1964, the US government established a new Meat Animal Research Center on this former Navy depot property. Zion cemetery remains on federal land. Call MARC headquarters 402.762.4100 for access questions.

Sources: Zion Lutheran Church, 1890-1990 centennial booklet, Clay Center, Nebraska. Courthouse deed search. Hertel family history notes.