About the District

The San Juan County Cemetery District #3 is a public tax district, formed by the vote of residents and property owners of Orcas Island in 1985. The Distrcit maintains two cemeteries on Orcas Island.

Woodlawn Cemetery was established in 1890 through land purchased by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The original name was the "M.E. Cemetery, " and in 1908, the name "Woodlawn" was adopted. In 1929, the M.E. Church transferred the cemetery property to a separate board of trustees, with direction to form a Cemetery Association. In due course, the "Woodlawn Cemetery Association of Orcas Island" was formed as a non-profit corporation in 1942, and administered the cemetery until 1985, when the taxpayers of Orcas Island formed a tax district to assume stewardship.

Mt. Baker Cemetery, also established in 1890, was originally named "Orcas Island Cemetery" and was operated by the "Orcas Island Cemetery Association," a private, not-for-profit association. Mt. Baker Cemetery maintained itself as a private cemetery until 2009, at which time the Association was dissolved and the cemetery was received into the District.

Woodlawn Cemetery offers plots for full casket and urn burials. Mt. Baker Cemetery is restricted to urn burials only.

Board meetings for the San Juan County Cemetery District #3 are the first Wednesday of every month, and are open to the public. 

Scheduled Meetings:
February 2020 General Meeting  Agenda for February 5, 2020
January 2020 General Meeting  Agenda for January 8. 2020
December 2019 General Meeting Agenda for December 4, 2019
November 2019 General Meeting  Agenda for November 6, 2019