History
A short history of modern cremation in the United States
How cremation moved from a rare choice in the late 1800s to a majority of U.S. dispositions. History for education, not a funeral-home quote.
Cremation by ZIP is not a funeral home, crematory, or cemetery. We do not cremate, bury, or arrange services.
Quick summary
The first dedicated U.S. crematory opened in 1876 in Washington, Pennsylvania. Burial stayed the default for most of the twentieth century. NFDA later reported that cremation became the more common U.S. disposition, and the share has kept rising. This is history for context, not a reason to skip a General Price List.
Introduction
Modern cremation in the United States is younger than many families expect. The first dedicated crematory in this country opened after the Civil War generation, not in colonial times. Knowing that timeline helps explain why some older relatives still assume burial is “the usual” while many ZIPs now see cremation as the majority choice.
This guide is public history for context. It does not set a price, recommend a firm, or tell a family which disposition to choose. Cremation by ZIP is a comparison and education site, not a funeral home.
If you need the practical next step after the history:
In this guide
- The first U.S. crematory
- Why burial stayed the default
- When cremation became the more common choice
- How to use this history
- FAQ
- People Also Ask
- Sources
The first U.S. crematory
The first dedicated U.S. crematory opened in 1876 in Washington, Pennsylvania. Public histories treat that plant as the start of modern crematory practice in this country — a building built for cremation, not an occasional use of an industrial furnace.
For decades after that opening, burial remained the default for most Americans. Cremation could be legal in a state and still rare in that state’s funeral custom. Availability and social acceptance did not move on the same clock.
That lag is why “cremation is new to our family” is a common sentence even in counties where cremation is now the majority disposition. The technology is older than the habit.
Why burial stayed the default
Cremation stayed uncommon through much of the twentieth century. Funeral custom, religious practice, and the layout of cemeteries all favored burial. Funeral homes also built staff, chapels, and casket rooms around viewing and interment. Those investments made burial the default product on many General Price Lists.
The mix began to change as more people moved between states, as cemetery space in some metro areas grew expensive, and as funeral homes added cremation as a listed service rather than an exception. None of that history sets today’s local price. It only explains why the option is now ordinary.
When cremation became the more common choice
By the 2010s, cremation was no longer a niche. The National Funeral Directors Association has reported that cremation overtook burial as the more common choice in the United States, and the share has kept rising. Later NFDA public summaries put the national rate near 61.9% in 2024, with California higher still.
A national rate still does not tell you what a firm in your ZIP charges. History explains the trend. The General Price List explains the bill. Families who treat a majority rate as a discount will be surprised when a viewing package or a cemetery plot still costs what the local lists say.
How to use this history
This site is a comparison and education tool. History here is meant to explain the trend, not to sell a cremation. After you know why cremation became common, the useful next step is still local: a typical ZIP range on the calculator, then an itemized General Price List from a licensed provider before you buy.
Cremation by ZIP does not arrange services and does not tell families which disposition to choose.
Frequently asked questions
When did the first U.S. crematory open?
Public histories place the first dedicated U.S. crematory in 1876 in Washington, Pennsylvania. That is the start of modern crematory practice in this country, not the start of cremation as a majority choice.
Did most American families choose cremation in the 1900s?
No. Burial remained the default for most of the twentieth century. Cremation became the more common U.S. disposition much later, as reported in NFDA cremation-rate summaries.
Does a long history of cremation mean it is cheaper in my city?
No. How long cremation has been available is not a General Price List. Cost still depends on the licensed firm, the package, and extras such as a viewing or cemetery work.
People Also Ask
Why did cremation stay uncommon for so long?
Custom, religion, and cemetery practice favored burial. Funeral homes also built their service lists around viewing and burial. Those habits changed as families moved and as cremation appeared on more General Price Lists.
Is this article a recommendation to choose cremation?
No. It is history for education. Cremation by ZIP does not arrange services and does not tell families which disposition to choose.
Where should I go after reading the history?
Use the ZIP calculator for a typical local cost window, then ask licensed providers for an itemized General Price List.
Sources
No outbound source list for this article. See the source note below.
Context drawn from public histories of the first U.S. crematory (1876, Washington, Pennsylvania) and later NFDA cremation-rate reports. We are not a funeral home.
Have a question?
Ask on the contact form — no account needed. We can point you to the calculator or a licensed-provider search. We cannot quote a funeral home’s General Price List for them.