Jewish cemetery gets national designation

A Jewish cemetery near Eudora, founded in the Civil War era, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The B’Nai Israel Cemetery, 1301 East 2100 Road, was added to the national register on Jan. 2.

The cemetery is the only surviving property associated with the Jewish community that flourished in the Eudora area from 1857 to 1867 before moving Lawrence, according to the Kansas State Historical Society. The cemetery fell into disuse in the 1920s before being reactivated in 1978.

The cemetery was nominated for recognition because of its social significance and the role it played in the settling of the Eudora area. There are 1,291 Kansas entries in the National Register of Historic Places.

A sign on the gate identifies the cemetery as the Beni Israel Cemetery.