Lone Mountain Cemetery
(aka New Cemetery, Firemens Cemetery)
Dates of Existence: May 1854 to 1862.
Location: 170 square acres in the Richmond District of San Francisco.
Number interred: 7,000 (1862).
Moved to: Cypress Lawn, Japanese, Serbian Cemeteries (Colma).
Records: San Francisco Cemetery Records.
Note: A portion of this cemetery became the Laurel Hill cemetery.
“THE NEW CEMETERY.—All who have given the subject a thought, must have seen the necessity of a place of burial in the vicinity of San Francisco more distant from the heart of the city, and not so liable to the inroads of speculation as the Yerba Buena Cemetery. A few gentlemen of this city on Thursday last, closed the bargain for a tract to land containing three hundred and twenty acres. The grounds are most admirably adapted to the purpose designed, and are located about three miles west of the Plaza. The northern line borders on the extension of Pacific street, and Bush street when extended will strike in about the centre of the grounds. The tract is one mile long and half a mile in width, lying between the Presidio and the “Sans Souci” Hotel. The ground is undulating and is covered with oaks and shrubbery. The hill known as “Lone Mountain” is embraced within the Cemetery ground, and on this it is proposed to erect a monument. We understand that a large amount of money will be expended in beautifying the grounds, and in a few days the plans will be made public and a name given to the Cemetery. It is gratifying to see that like other large cities we are to have a rural cemetery, where by a combination of the beauties of nature and of art, much of the sadness which surrounds the grave is taken away, and which shall be a beautiful symbol of that 'gate of evergreens that men call death.' ”
Source: Daily Alta California, 27 November 1853, page 2.
“THE NEW CEMETERY.—Great improvements have been made upon the new Cemetery grounds within the past two or three weeks. Some eight miles of avenues have been cut, and the ground where they run has been cleared from the undergrowth with which the grounds are covered. Some very beautiful spots are brought to view by these improvements, and this season of the year, when the grass and foliage are green and the wild lilac is in bloom and the laurel in berry, is the most favorable time to visit these beautiful grounds. Persons living in the city who never go beyond our built up streets have no idea that there is so much of rural beauty as may be found in many little spots within the cemetery tracts. When completed there will be forty miles of avenue traversing the entire ground with a carriage road winding up the sides till it reaches the top of Lone Mountain. The contract is already given out for a fence to surround the grounds. This is to be a picket fence five feet high and made in an ornamental style. We have seen a design of the main entrance on Bush street, which is to be a highly ornamented arch sixty-five feet in height surmounted with a figure of the Recording Angel. On the sides of the main entrance are to be four other entrances. The owners of the Cemetery tract have secured the two blocks from the entrance on Bush street in order to prevent any rum shops or buildings of an improper character being erected there.”
Source: Daily Alta California, 24 December 1853, page 2.
“NOVEMBER [1853].—The 'Lone Mountain Cemetery' projected. A tract of land three hundred and twenty acres in extent, lying between the presidio and the mission, is to be laid out in a proper manner as a new resting-place for the dead, the cemetery of Yerba Buena being considered, by the planners of the new grounds, too near the city for a permanent burial-place. The new cemetery is located near the well-known 'Lone Mountain,' situated three or four miles west of the plaza. From the summit of this beautifully shaped hill may be obtained one of the finest and most extensive views of land and water. At the date of writing, very material and expensive improvements are being made upon the grounds, to adapt them for the purposes of a cemetery.
“May 30th [1854].—The 'Lone Mountain Cemetery' was solemnly dedicated to-day, when many interesting ceremonies were performed on the ground before a large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. Col. E. D. Baker delivered an occasional address, Mr. F. B. Austin an ode, Mr, Frank Soulé a poem, Bishop Kip the dedication address, and the Rev. F. T. Gray the closing address. Appropriate hymns and prayers hallowed the new 'city of the dead.' Herr Mengis, and the singers of the German Turn-verein, performed the musical pieces.
“When noticing the projection of this cemetery, under date November, 1853, we said, that the tract of land to be used for burial purposes was three hundred and twenty acres in extent, and included the hill, or 'mountain,' from which it took its name. That was the original intention of the projectors. Subsequently, it was found that one hundred and sixty would form a sufficiently large cemetery, and to that extent the limits of the ground have meanwhile been reduced. The 'Lone Mountain' is not situated within the restricted boundaries, but adjoins them on the south. The present mode of access to the cemetery is by a circuitous route, nearly four miles in length, by way of Pacific street and the presidio. When the western extension of Bush street is graded and planked, which is proposed to be done during the summer of 1854, the distance from the plaza to the magnificent gateway of the cemetery, about to be erected at the termination of that extension, will be about two miles.”
Source: Annals of San Francisco, Frank Soulé, et al. (1854), pages 469, 538-539.
“THE NEW CEMETERY—We mentioned yesterday the fact that a number of gentlemen had purchased a beautiful piece of ground in the vicinity of the city for the purpose of establishing a cemetery. It has not yet been named, and we think that one of the peculiarities on the ground might suggest an appropriate name for it. All who have ridden through that portion of the outskirts of the city have remarked a peculiar looking hill which has been christened 'Lone Mountain.' This mountain is embraced within the tract purchased. Why not call the proposed establishment, 'Lone Mountain Cemetery?' ”
Source: Daily Alta California, 28 November 1853, page 2.
“LONE MOUNTAIN CEMETERY.—By reference to a notice in another column, it will be seen that the grounds of the Lone Mountain Cemetery will be opened to the public from tomorrow till about the 20th, when they will be dedicated. Arrangements have been made by the proprietors by which an omnibus will run to the Cemetery tomorrow for the especial accommodation of ladies and families. An omnibus will leave the City Hall and Oriental Hotel every fifteen minutes during the day, carrying passengers at the low price of fifty cents. The proprietors will themselves be in attendance on the grounds, and light carriages be provided to carry visitors through the various avenues of the cemetery, free of charge. A ride to the Cemetery is one of the pleasantest in the vicinity of the city, and we doubt not that many of our families will avail themselves of the arrangement now made by the proprietors to enable them to pay a visit to these delightful grounds.”
Source: Daily Alta California, 3 May 1854, page 2.
“Dedication.—The Lone Mountain Cemetery will be dedicated about the 20th of the present month [May]. It was opened for public inspection yesterday, and will so be kept until the above date.”
Source: Sacramento Daily Union, 5 May 1854, page 3.
“NOTICE. LONE MOUNTAIN CEMETERY. …For further particulars, enquire of either of the Proprietors, at 110 Montgomery street.
F. [Franklin] B. AUSTIN,
NATH'L [Nathaniel] GRAY,
W. [William] H. RANLETT”
Source: Daily Alta California, 13 May 1854, page 1.
“POSTSCRIPT. Through Adams & Co.'s Express. …San Francisco Correspondence. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10, 1854. …The Lone Mountain Cemetery proprietors have offered the Fire Department a portion of their grounds as a Firemen's Cemetery. The same was taken under advisement.”
Source: Sacramento Daily Union, 11 August 1854, page 2.
“To the Public.—The undersigned, a Committee appointed by the BOARD OF DELEGATES of the San Francisco Fire Department, for the purpose of raising an amount sufficient to construct a fence around the FIREMEN'S CEMETERY, in Lone Mountain, and erect a monument in memory of those members of the organization who die in the discharge of their duty, call your to the advertisement, in another column, announcing a Benefit in aid of the above object, at LEE & BENNETT'S NORTH AMERICAN CIRCUS, on SATURDAY EVENING next, and ask your earnest co-operation and support—believing that all such aid should come from the people, as a whole, and not alone from the Firemen themselves. Surely we hazard nothing in saying that the people of this great city can contribute an amount equal to the provision of a last resting place for those who die—serving them.
Committee H.A. COBB, WM. H. SILVERTHORN, E.P. BUCKELY,
San Francisco, May 22d, 1857.”
Source: Daily Alta California, 22 May 1857, page 2.
“CEMETERY, LONE MOUNTAIN — 2¼ miles W from Montgomery and directly opposite California, road mostly traveled leads from Bush. This cemetery was dedicated in June 1854, and is the property of private individuals, whose design is to incorporate soon. It contains an area of 160 acres. The grounds are beautifully undulating, with avenues leading through the ravines and then gradually rising to an eminence, from which you have a commanding view of the surrounding country. On the south, three-eighths of a mile distant, stands the celebrated Lone Mountain, a lofty conical shaped hill, from which the cemetery derives its name. On the east lies the city and the bay with the villages of Oakland, Alameda, and Clinton, and in the distance Mount Diablo. On the north may be seen the Bay of San Pablo, Angle's and Alactraz Islands, Saucelito Bay and village, and the entrance to the Golden Gate. On the west in the distance, you have the Farralone Islands and the Pacific Ocean, the roar of whose waves are sounding a continual requiem as if to soothe the spirits of the dead. The shrubbery is mostly evergreen, containing more that twenty different kinds of flowering shrubs. About 2,000 interments have already been made within the inclosure, and the improvements now made and others designed, with its natural beauties, bid fair to make this rival any of the rural cemeteries of the Atlantic States.”
Source: San Francisco Directory, Henry G. Langley, 1858, pages 389-390.
“REPAIRING THE CEMETERY ROAD.—The road leading from Bush street to the Lone Mountain Cemetery, is undergoing repairs. The sand has drifted over the road in many places, and rendered it almost impassable. When thoroughly repaired, the red line of omnibuses will run to the Cemetery on Sundays, by agreement with the road company.”
Source: Daily Alta California, 6 January 1858.
“The Cemeteries of San Francisco . . . LONE MOUNTAIN.
Lone Mountain Cemetery, now the chief burial place of San Francisco, is a tract of 170 acres, nearly square in form, 2¼ miles west of Montgomery street, and three-fourths of a mile south of the Golden Gate. It was dedicated with public ceremonies on the 30th May, 1854, on which occasion, Bishop Kip and Colonel Baker delivered addresses, and Frank Soulé read a poem. The first interment there was made on the 2d June; and in that month the total number was 12. After August very few interments were made at Yerba Buena. At first, the usual route to Lone Mountain was by way of Pacific street; but, in the latter part of 1854, Bush street was opened, and is now used in preference to all others. The main entrance is on Bush street. The present proprietors of the Cemetery are J.H. Atkinson, C.C. Butler, and Nathaniel Gray. They think there is room in the Cemetery to bury all the dead of San Francisco for half a century to come. Twenty miles of avenues were laid out through the grounds, but many of them were not used for years, and they have been overgrown with bushes. The whole number of persons buried at Lone Mountain is near 7,000. About 75 persons are buried there monthly, on an average.
NAME, TOPOGRAPHY AND BOTANY.
The name 'Lone Mountain' is derived from a conical hill, the highest point in the vicinity, and a quarter of a mile distant from the Cemetery, though, when the name was adopted, it was expected that the owner of that peak would put his land in as part of the new necropolis. The soil is sandy, and the surface hilly. The lowest parts are about 300 feet above the level of the sea, and the highest 70 feet higher. Stunted evergreen oaks, ceanothus, fragrant yellow lupins, and other trees, bushes and herbs covered, originally, nearly the whole place. In the shady and moist spots is found a fragrant mint, peculiar to California, and so abundant in this vicinity, that the little village which stood upon the beach, opposite Goat Island, from 1835 to 1847, was known by its name, 'Yerba Buena'—the good herb.
DEATHS BY VIOLENCE.
Many of the dead buried at Lone Mountain have died of violence. Among them are U.S. Senator E.D. Baker, killed in battle; U.S. Senator D.C. Broderick, Assemblyman Charles W. Piercy, and ex-Congressman Edward Gilbert, killed in duels; James King of William, Dr. Andrew Randall, and U.S. Marshal Wm. A. Richardson, shot by murderers; Deputy-Sheriff John Harrison, suicide; Alphonse F. Barbier, Samuel G. Baum and W. Louderback, killed while performing their duties as members of the Fire Department; and Arthur French, mate of the Northerner steamer, drowned while trying to save men from the wreck of the vessel of which he was an officer. The list might be very much extended. Many of the pioneers lie here, among them Larkin, Howard and Folsom.
MONUMENTS.
The necropolis at Lone Mountain is too new to rival, in its architectural monuments, the famous cemeteries attached to the great cities of the Atlantic coast. Many of those over whose dust magnificent tombstones will be erected in time to come, lie as yet in graves with nothing to mark their place, save a little mound of earth. The graves of Broderick, Baker, Folsom, Gilbert, Howard and Larkin have not even a slab of stone to show where they lie. The largest monument is that of Mrs. H.M. Newhall, made of California marble. The most beautiful as a work of art is that of Louisa Kohler, which has a marble figure representing the little girl as large as life. It is a very respectable piece of sculpture, and would do credit to any grave. The largest vault front is that owned by John W. Tucker, Esq. The monument of James King of William is tall and well designed. The most striking monument in the cemetery, by its allegorical suggestiveness, is the marble shaft representing a broken mast, surrounded by ropes and belaying pins, showing the honored occupation of Arthur French. Other tombs and tombstones worthy of a visit by those who go to Lone Mountain, are those of Harry I. Thornton, Mrs. Redington, Mrs. Hillman, Mrs. Topham, —— Laurencel, Mrs. James Whitney, Jr., and William J. Balley. The Chinese have a vault in which they deposit those corpses which are to be sent to China. The Protestant Orphan Asylum, the Typographical Union, several lodges of Odd Fellows, and the Firemen, have their respective lots in which their dead are to be buried. Most of the inscriptions are plain, brief and in good taste. One gravestone has a pun for an epitaph. Mr. Albert Morgan was a minstrel, that is a member of a company of 'negro minstrels,' and after the statement of his name, age, etc., a legend adds: 'The last lay of a minstrel.' He amused the public while alive, and will not cease now that he is dead. …”
Source: Daily Alta California, 22 July 1862, page 1.
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