Old Cemeteries in the City

Laurel Heights Cemetery during the 1890s, sprawling into the sand dunes of the Inner Richmond area.

Image: Greg Gaar Collection, San Francisco, CA

1850s: Early San Francisco Cemeteries: Mission Dolores. Russian Hill. Telegraph Hill. North Beach, Yerba Buena, and Presidio.

1854: Laurel Hill Cemetery developed.

Late 1850s: Yerba Buena Cemetery abandoned.

1860: Calvary Cemetery, the Catholic Cemetery, developed on Lone Mountain.

1864: Masonic Cemetery developed.

1865: Odd Fellows Cemetery developed.

1880s: The cry "Remove the cemeteries!" began.

1900: Most graveyards filled. Cemeteries deteriorating.

1902: Ordinance Number 8108 prohibited burials within the city.

1921: State legislation passed to allow cemeteries to be abandoned. Litigation followed.

1923: Second Morris Act passed allowing removal of bodies from cemeteries.

1920s: Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemeteries' remains removed to Colma.

1920s: "Franciscan Heights" subdivision developed on Odd Fellows land. University of San Francisco purchased Masonic cemetery land. Jordan Park developed.

1927: St. Ignatius College moved to Fulton and Parker Streets.

1930: St. Ignatius renamed the University of San Francisco.

1930s: Removal of Laurel Hill and Calvary encouraged. Several plans discussed but had little support.

1932: San Francisco College for Women built on Lone Mountain.

1937: Catholic Archdiocese ceased opposition to removal of Calvary.

1930s/1940s: Removal of Laurel Hill and Calvary remains to Colma.

1940s/1950s: Development of Laurel Heights with residential homes and apartments.

1964: University of San Francisco became co-educational.

1978: University of San Francisco acquired Lone Mountain campus.

1980s: Columbarium renovated under ownership of Neptune Society.

1988: St. Ignatius High School torn down. Koret Recreational Center built.

more information is available from Trina Lopez's excellent documentary, "A Second Final Rest"

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