The Moving Story Behind Buffalo Cemetery’s Famous Peony Flowers – InForum

BUFFALO, N.D. — Small-town cemeteries are full of history, and Buffalo’s is no exception. Its history dates back to 1888 and it is known far and wide for the thousands of beautiful peonies that bloom briefly at this time of year.

To the naked eye, Buffalo may seem like a quiet town. But the people there work hard to keep it alive, with the ancient glory hanging on Main Street for National Flag Day on June 14.

The cemetery is no exception to this rule. It is remarkably well preserved. Volunteers here work hard to achieve this. The headstone of Patrick Neary, the only Civil War veteran buried here, is in perfect condition.

Thanks to the peonies, at this time of year the cemetery is magnificent. Purple, pink and white flowers are everywhere you look.

“They believe in giving their best, and the cemetery is a great example of how we take care of that and each other,” said board member Liane Stout of the cemetery.

The cemetery has become something of a regional attraction.

“When they’re in bloom, everyone wants it to be a destination to take pictures of these beautiful flowers,” Stout said.

So how many flowers are there in the Buffalo cemetery? It’s hard to say, but there are well over 1,000, and the number is growing every year.

“The volunteers come back and cut the peonies, divide them and plant them in new rows, so that every peony here comes from the original planting over 100 years ago,” Stout said.

But these beautiful flowers come from a sad story. They were first planted in 1911 by a woman named Emma More, from the More family.

“Tragically, their 11-year-old son was killed by a train going through Buffalo,” Stout said. “And it devastated the family to the point that Mrs. More wanted to remember her son by planting flowers.”

From tragedy comes beauty, peace, tranquility.

“To everything sad that happens, there is another side, and the beauty that comes out is the wonderful memories,” Stout said.

Although this cemetery serves as a place to honor those no longer with us, Buffalo remains vibrant. Thanks in part to the flowers, but also thanks to the community, who work tirelessly to keep their homes beautiful.

“You just drive around and you say this town is alive and well,” Stout said.

Mike McGurran has been a reporter and anchor at WDAY-TV since 2021.