Cemetery in the Middle of the Road

Waveland Road, West Des Moines, Iowa

Drivers on Waveland Road outside West Des Moines still split around a tiny fenced graveyard planted squarely in the asphalt. The Hurd family cemetery dates to the 19th century, predating the modern road grid.

When engineers widened the highway, descendants refused to relocate the plots. Instead, the county curved the pavement around the burial ground, leaving a grassy island with headstones in the middle of traffic.

It is not a traditional urbex site — please remain on the roadside and respect the fence. Early morning or golden hour light makes for striking photos without disturbing the site.

Pair this stop with other Des Moines-area features on our Abandoned Places index, including Southridge Mall and Owen’s Covered Bridge.