Sarah Mitchell
California is home to several historic Catholic cemeteries, with the oldest dating back to the 1800s. One of the oldest and largest Catholic cemeteries in the state is the Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, established in 1887. Another notable old Catholic cemetery is Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco, which was consecrated in 1860. St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Jackson, established in the 1860s, is also one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in California. These historic cemeteries offer a glimpse into the past and are often final resting places for notable individuals, such as politicians, pioneers, and those with intriguing life stories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Holy Cross Cemetery |
| Location | Colma, California |
| Year Established | 1887 |
| Size | 300 acres (1.2 km2) |
| Management | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Notable Burials | Delos R. Ashley, Eugene Casserly, John Chapman, John G. Downey, Vince Guaraldi, A.P. Giannini, etc. |
| Other Features | Memorial sculpture erected in 1993, marking the relocation of remains from Catholic Calvary Cemetery between 1937 and 1945 |
Other Notable Old Catholic Graveyards in California:
- St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Jackson: Established in the 1860s, it includes a mass grave for miners who died in the 1922 Argonaut Mining Disaster.
- Immaculate Conception Parish Cemetery, Sutter Creek: Established in the 1850s.
- San Luis Rey Pioneer Cemetery, Oceanside: Established in the 1860s.
- Calvary Cemetery, San Francisco: Consecrated in 1860, it is one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in California.
- Historic Yorba Cemetery, Orange County: Established in 1834, with burials taking place from 1860 to 1939.
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What You'll Learn
Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma
Holy Cross Cemetery, located at 1500 Mission Rd Colma, California, is one of the oldest and largest Catholic cemeteries in the state. It was established in 1887 on 300 acres of land, with the first burials taking place on June 7 of that year. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and is known for its rich history, valued traditions, and serene natural surroundings.
The need for the Holy Cross Cemetery arose when the Mt. Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco reached its capacity. In the 1880s, Archbishop Patrick W. Riordan purchased 300 acres of the Buri Buri rancho for the new cemetery, which would eventually become known as Colma, the "City of the Dead". The site was blessed by Archbishop Riordan on June 3, 1887, and the first burials were those of Timothy Buckley and Elizabeth Martin.
Holy Cross Cemetery is the final resting place for many notable individuals, including former politicians, civic leaders, historical figures, Catholic religious figures, and people of the California Gold Rush. Some of the notable people buried at Holy Cross include Eugene Casserly, a U.S. Senator; John Chapman, a Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient; John G. Downey, the 7th Governor of California; and Vince Guaraldi, a jazz musician known for composing music for the Peanuts comic strip.
The cemetery features a large mausoleum designed by John McQuarrie and dedicated in 1921 by Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna. The mausoleum has room for 40,000 crypts and houses the remains of the Archbishops of San Francisco in its rotunda. There are also two smaller mausoleums on the site: All Saints in the south corner, and Saints Peter and Paul, a garden court near the north corner.
In addition to its historical and cultural significance, Holy Cross Cemetery has been a popular location for film productions. Several cemetery sequences from the film "Harold and Maude" were filmed at Holy Cross, and it has also been featured in other films and television productions. The cemetery is highly regarded for its compassionate and responsive service to families during their time of need, with a dedicated staff that upholds Catholic funeral and burial traditions.
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St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Jackson
St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, also known as Jackson Catholic Cemetery, is located in Jackson, California, next to the Jackson City Cemetery. It was founded in the early 1860s to replace the former cemetery located in town. The earliest burial with an existing headstone is that of Francesco Baccigalupo, who died in 1853 and was likely reinterred from the old cemetery. Other old headstones belong to John Kelly (died in 1861) and several others who passed away in 1862.
The cemetery is known for its mass grave of 27 out of 47 miners who perished in the 1922 Argonaut Mining Disaster. A plaque commemorates this tragic event. Marie Suize, also known as Madam Pantaloons, is another notable person buried at St. Patrick's. She disguised herself as a man, working mining claims under the threat of arrest for wearing men's clothing. Angelo Noce, known as the "Father of Columbus Day", is also laid to rest here.
The nearby church, St. Patrick's, dates back to 1852 and still stands today. Many of its former priests are buried in the cemetery. St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery is a testament to the history of Jackson, particularly its mining past, and provides insight into the lives and occupations of those who resided in the area.
In terms of other historic cemeteries in California, there are several notable ones. Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, established in 1887, is one of the oldest and largest in the state. Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco was consecrated in 1860 and nearly reached its capacity by 1887, leading to the establishment of Holy Cross. San Luis Rey Pioneer Cemetery in Oceanside, founded in the 1860s, was established to bury non-Catholics. Evergreen Cemetery in East Los Angeles, founded in 1877, is Los Angeles' oldest cemetery, with an estimated 300,000 interments.
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Calvary Cemetery, San Francisco
Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco, California, was consecrated in 1860 by Joseph Sadoc Alemany, the first Archbishop of San Francisco. It was one of four major cemeteries established in the 1850s and 1860s around Lone Mountain, the others being Laurel Hill Cemetery, Odd Fellows Cemetery, and Masonic Cemetery. Calvary was the easternmost of the four and was located between Parker and Masonic avenues and Geary and Turk streets.
Calvary Cemetery was in operation from 1860 to 1940. In November 1860, John Riley, a pauper, was the first person to be buried there. For four decades, Roman Catholics from the city were laid to rest on the hillside. It is estimated that in its 77 years of operation, 55,500 bodies were interred at Calvary.
In 1894, the population of Richmond had reached 3,000 residents, while the local cemeteries, including Calvary, housed over 300,000 bodies. As the city's population grew, real estate quickly became an issue, and the cemeteries were seen as a buffer in what was once an underpopulated rural area. By the 1930s, a mass graveyard relocation project was underway, and thousands of corpses were moved to Colma, several miles south of San Francisco.
Many of those interred at Calvary Cemetery were reburied at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma between 1937 and 1945. A memorial sculpture at Holy Cross marks the moved remains, with an inscription that reads:
> Interred here are the remains of 39,307 Catholics moved from Mt. Calvary Cemetery in 1940 and 1941 by order of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Rest in God's Loving Care.
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San Luis Rey Pioneer Cemetery, Oceanside
The San Luis Rey Pioneer Cemetery in Oceanside, California, is a historic burial ground that was established in the 1860s. Located about 400 yards south of the San Luis Rey Mission, the cemetery sits on a knoll in the San Luis Rey Valley, across from the Mission San Luis Rey. It is accessible via a poorly marked dirt road leading west from Rancho del Oro Road, between Mission Avenue and State Route 76.
The cemetery was established to provide a burial site for non-Catholics, who were excluded from the Mission Cemetery. The land was donated by a local property owner for use as a public burial ground, and the deed was subsequently passed to the San Luis Rey school district. The first burial took place in 1869 and was that of a one-year-old girl.
The San Luis Rey Pioneer Cemetery is the final resting place of several notable individuals, including Andrew Jackson Myers, the founder of Oceanside, who died in 1907, and his family. It is also the burial site of Oceanside Police Officer Daniel Bessant, who was killed in the line of duty in 2006.
Over time, the cemetery fell into disrepair and was subjected to vandalism. However, thanks to the efforts of the Oceanside Historical Society and the support of members and descendants of the deceased pioneers, a clean-up was organised in 1991, and a small fund was established to help maintain the cemetery and protect it from further vandalism.
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Yorba Cemetery, Orange County
Yorba Cemetery, located in Yorba Linda, California, is the oldest Catholic graveyard in Orange County. It was originally part of Bernardo Yorba's Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana and was deeded to the County of Orange in 1967. The plot of land has a rich history, dating back to 1858 when it was willed to the Catholic Church by Bernardo Yorba as a burial ground for his family and friends.
The cemetery spans 40,000 square feet and holds a significant place in the region's history, with over 400 burials and 135 headstones. The exact number of burials is unknown, but it is estimated to be between 120 and 600 graves. The last official burial took place in 1939, and since then, the cemetery has undergone various changes. Unfortunately, it fell victim to vandalism, with teenagers sneaking in and causing damage.
In 1981, the county stepped in to protect the land and began restoring headstones and records. Today, the cemetery is a historical site, offering tours that provide a glimpse into the early days of Orange County's settlement. Attendees can learn about the estate's history, including its time as part of Mexico before becoming a cemetery. The cemetery is also known for its local legend, "The Pink Lady," a ghost believed to be Alvina de los Reyes, a descendant of the Yorba family who met an untimely end in a buggy accident.
The mailing address for the Historic Yorba Cemetery is:
> Historic Yorba Cemetery
> c/o George Key Ranch Historical Park
> 625 W. Bastanchury Rd.
> Placentia, CA. 92870
Tours are typically held on the first Saturday of each month, excluding May, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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Frequently asked questions
The oldest Catholic graveyard in California is Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco, consecrated in 1860.
The oldest Catholic graveyard in California, Calvary Cemetery, is located in San Francisco.
The first person buried in Calvary Cemetery was either Timothy Buckley or Elizabeth Martin, as their funeral carriages arrived at the cemetery on the same day.
There is no definitive answer, but it is estimated that nearly 40,000 Catholics were moved from Mt. Calvary Cemetery to Holy Cross Cemetery between 1937 and 1945.
