Elk Vale Cemetery is located on a hilltop on the corner of Elk Vale Road and Elk Creek Road overlooking the beautiful Elk Creek Valley.

The land for Elk Vale Cemetery was set aside by David and Sarah Bennet in 1892. It was incorporated in 1892 and 1956 and 2024. It has been referred to by the names Bennet Cemetery, Elk Creek Cemetery, Bend Cemetery, Kammerer Cemetery and Elk Vale Cemetery.

The information gathered in the documents of Elk Vale Cemetery were done so by Ardie Tatum in 2000. She researched all of the death records from the Behrens Mortuary, Rapid City, SD (1882 to 1947) and HO Anderson Mortuary, Sturgis, SD (1922 to 1947). Ardie also researched all of the death records in Pennington County and Meade County from 1905 to 1945 to verify the names and dates of those buried in Bennet Cemetery. (1905 was the first year that both counties started keeping death records). After 1945, records were individually looked into.

Ardie also found records of many of the deaths listed in the Black Hill Weekly Journal and other local papers from the 1800s and early 1900s. This process was expedited by the excellent, thorough work of Eka Parkenson. Eka had gone through all the early papers and documented on cards (now microfilm) of all births, deaths, marriages and exceptionally interesting information by name and the accompanying resource. Thank you, Eka!

Information was also located in Echoes Thru the Valley written by the pioneers of the region and their decedents. When their was a conflict between two sources, the following criteria was used to ascertain the correct data:

  • Gravestone if original

  • County death record

  • Behren’s mortuary and HO Anderson mortuary

  • Echoes Thru the Valley

  • Elk Vale Map

  • Personal information from family members

  • Black Hills Weekly or Black Hills Weekly Journal

The cemetery is cared for by volunteers and donations.

Early pioneers and their descendents are buried in Elk Vale Cemetery. Many of their stories are included in the book, Echoes Thru the Valley. The information for the cemetery was documented by early sextons especially Carrie Backman, Judy Ketelsen and Ardie Tatum.