Highland Cemetery reflects the rural tradition of cemetery design that emphasizes a natural setting, a style that originated in France and first appeared in New York at Greenwood Cemetery. Highland Cemetery and Forest Hill in Ann Arbor were designed by James Glenn, a landscape architect from Niles, Michigan. Dedicated on July 14, 1864, Highland Cemetery became the final resting place for Ypsilanti's pioneer, commercial, social, and educational community. Mary Anne Starkweather commissioned the Richardson Romanesque chapel, designed by George Mason, in honor of her husband John, and it crowns the entry drive. The oldest gravesite is that of Walter Oakman, whose body and dozens of others were moved to Highland from Pioneer and Prospect Cemeteries.