Cities vying for site of future veterans cemetery

Eastern Idaho will soon see a new veterans cemetery on this side of the state. The decision to make is where should the new cemetery go?

“It would draw all of southeastern Idaho as well as Wyoming, Montana, and their spouses if they so choose to be buried at this cemetery,” said Ed Marohn, an Idaho Falls City Council member.

Four cities are vying to host the new cemetery: Pocatello, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, and Ammon.

Some cities like Idaho Falls and Ammon already have specific locations in mind. Idaho Falls wants to dedicate 30 acres of the Fielding cemetery south of town as the new veterans cemetery. Ammon has several acres of the Ammon City cemetery set aside for the project if chosen.

Pocatello has a host of options and plans on letting the committee at the state level decide. “We showed the people from the cemetery in Boise about 15 locations here in Pocatello. Each of them had benefits that we felt were appropriate,” said Jim Johnston a member of the Pocatello City Council.

The proposed location in Blackfoot would be at the cemetery on the State Hospital South property. Blackfoot Mayor Paul Loomis said the state veterans officials liked that location the best out of the three the city showed them.

Despite the competition for the final location, all the cities agree that a veterans cemetery does need to come to the eastern side of the state.

“So many of our veterans, when they die, we have to take them to Boise for the veterans cemetery there. It’s just very inconvenient,” said Johnston.

“The vets want it,” said Marohn. “In fact, every vet I’ve talked to wants this cemetery. They like living in eastern Idaho, and now they want to buried here.”