Want to settle your bones in San Francisco for eternity? Good luck. Back in 1900, when there were some 30 (or so) cemeteries scattered throughout San Francisco, an ordinance was passed to stop burials within the city limits (mostly because it was all on pretty lucrative land). In the following years and decades, bodies were moved to cemeteries mostly down in Colma, just south of San Francisco. Things got especially messy after the 1906 earthquake and fires, when many burial records were lost. In fact, unclaimed headstones and monuments eventually were recycled and used for drain gutters and seawalls (find remnants at Buena Vista Park and Aquatic Park). With that said, we’ve managed to round up a few cemeteries and columbaria in and around San Francisco to visit.
- San Francisco National Cemetery
Flickr/Thomas Hawk Folks buried here in the Presidio get quite a magnificent view. It’s only open to members of the armed forces, meaning the only way to get a spot here is for eligible veterans and family members. For now, it’s a truly breathtaking site to visit.
- Presidio Pet Cemetery
Flickr/Dave Parker We love our pets as much as we respect our vets, so just south of Crissy Field is a small cemetery for Presidio residents’ furry, gilled, or feathered loved ones. Tiny plaques and tombstones are dedicated to Cutie, Lady, Smoochy, Mr. Twister, and more.
- Mission Dolores Cemetery
Flickr/Ed Bierman Located next to the old Mission Dolores, this small cemetery is surrounded by beautiful gardens of roses and other native plants. Around 5,000 Ohlone, Miwok, and other San Francisco notables, including those who built the Mission back in 1776, are buried here. Cemetery markers date from 1830 to 1898.
- San Francisco Columbarium
Flickr/Thomas Hawk Originally built in 1898, this gorgeous, Neo-Classical-designed building in the Richmond District was restored back in the 1980s and is home to many of San Francisco’s elite (including Harvey Milk). And they’re all organized into three separate areas: the Hall of Olympians, Hall of Titans, and Hall of Heroes.
- Unclaimed tombstones at Buena Vista Park and along the Marina
Flickr/Erlin Krotpong As mentioned above, in the early-to-mid-1900s, unclaimed tombstones were set aside to be used for building projects along the city. You can find them lining the paths of Buena Vista Park in the Haight and keeping the bay waters at, well, bay along the Marina and around Aquatic Park. In fact, the Wave Organ (pictured here) is built from some of those old tombstones.
- Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno
Flickr/Tyler Bell Just south of the city is another national cemetery, the resting site for many notable veterans, plus a few infamous ones as well, including Dan White, the man who assassinated Harvey Milk and George Moscone in 1978.
- Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
Flickr/Sonny Abesamis Across the bay in Oakland, this large and beautiful cemetery holds many important California figures. Resting here are former California governors, army generals and veterans, the founders of Ghirardelli and Folgers Coffee, and more. And there’s even a “Millionaires’ Row.”
- Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma
Flickr/Thomas Hawk As mentioned above, Colma took on many of San Francisco’s deceased after the no-burial ordinance passed. This cemetery is especially grand, surrounded by big, rolling hills and dotted with palm trees. It is the final resting site for members of the Hearst family, along with other prominent local citizens.
Have you visited any of these cemeteries in San Francisco?
Flickr/Thomas Hawk
Folks buried here in the Presidio get quite a magnificent view. It’s only open to members of the armed forces, meaning the only way to get a spot here is for eligible veterans and family members. For now, it’s a truly breathtaking site to visit.
Flickr/Dave Parker
We love our pets as much as we respect our vets, so just south of Crissy Field is a small cemetery for Presidio residents’ furry, gilled, or feathered loved ones. Tiny plaques and tombstones are dedicated to Cutie, Lady, Smoochy, Mr. Twister, and more.
Flickr/Ed Bierman
Located next to the old Mission Dolores, this small cemetery is surrounded by beautiful gardens of roses and other native plants. Around 5,000 Ohlone, Miwok, and other San Francisco notables, including those who built the Mission back in 1776, are buried here. Cemetery markers date from 1830 to 1898.
Originally built in 1898, this gorgeous, Neo-Classical-designed building in the Richmond District was restored back in the 1980s and is home to many of San Francisco’s elite (including Harvey Milk). And they’re all organized into three separate areas: the Hall of Olympians, Hall of Titans, and Hall of Heroes.
Flickr/Erlin Krotpong
As mentioned above, in the early-to-mid-1900s, unclaimed tombstones were set aside to be used for building projects along the city. You can find them lining the paths of Buena Vista Park in the Haight and keeping the bay waters at, well, bay along the Marina and around Aquatic Park. In fact, the Wave Organ (pictured here) is built from some of those old tombstones.
Flickr/Tyler Bell
Just south of the city is another national cemetery, the resting site for many notable veterans, plus a few infamous ones as well, including Dan White, the man who assassinated Harvey Milk and George Moscone in 1978.
Flickr/Sonny Abesamis
Across the bay in Oakland, this large and beautiful cemetery holds many important California figures. Resting here are former California governors, army generals and veterans, the founders of Ghirardelli and Folgers Coffee, and more. And there’s even a “Millionaires’ Row.”
As mentioned above, Colma took on many of San Francisco’s deceased after the no-burial ordinance passed. This cemetery is especially grand, surrounded by big, rolling hills and dotted with palm trees. It is the final resting site for members of the Hearst family, along with other prominent local citizens.
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