Last year, I teamed up with VidSF.com and historian Lorri Ungaretti to produce a short video for Halloween. Many San Franciscans don’t know that the Richmond District used to be home to several cemeteries. Beginning in the early 1900s and until the 1940’s, the cemeteries were decommissioned and the remains were moved out to Colma. Or at least we think they were…
In the video, we visited what was the location of the Odd Fellows Cemetery, where today you can visit the Columbarium (and be inurned there if you so desire) and enjoy Rossi Playground where bodies were buried and the Oddfellows crematorium stoked its fires.
We also ventured out to Lincoln Park and the Legion of Honor which sit on what was once City Cemetery, a burial ground for ethnic and religious minorities, indigents and members of various benevolent associations. As you’ll learn in the video, some of the remains, well, still remain. Spooky!
For more history on the cemeteries (and the neighborhood), I highly recommend the book San Francisco’s Richmond District by Lorri Ungaretti. You may also want to watch A Second Final Rest: The History of San Francisco’s Lost Cemeteries, a documentary by Trina Lopez which is available for download or for rent at the SF Public Library Main Branch History Center. Both of these were invaluable resources for the video.
Below are some interesting historical photos of the cemeteries from Lorri Ungaretti’s book. Happy Halloween everyone!
Sarah B.
An 1891 map showing the five cemeteries in the northwestern part of San Francisco.
Note the City Cemetery in the upper left corner, and the the other four on the right side
(Laurel Hill Cemetery, Odd Fellows Cemetery, Masonic Cemetery, Calvary Cemetery).
Courtesy of Richard Brandi.
A crew works to remove the bodies from Odd Fellows Cemetery, December 26, 1933.
This is now the site of Rossi Playground.
A panoramic view of Odd Fellows Cemetery. Note the Columbarium on the far right. On the very
far left edge, you can see the top of the crematorium. 1865.
The Odd Fellows Crematorium building can be seen in the background. Remains were then inurned
in the Columbarium nearby. Courtesy of Glenn Koch.
In the early years of San Francisco, there was little greenery or trees, so it was not unusual for residents
to flock to the cemeteries for recreation. This photo shows a Memorial Day celebration at
Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1909.
Nice to know that I am living in the old Odd Fellows Cemetery. I think it is fitting.
Great piece – love the history.
You know? Most cemeteries aren’t haunted because if you believe that spirits remain in a place that represents a trauma, or a strong personal attachment…well…a cemetery isn’t that place. Of course, if a person was buried alive then you have your potential haunting.
Eat, drink and be scaaaaary!
Cee
Nice to know the old places of the Richmond District Cemeteries.
Under the heading of Richmond District Ghosts,
Genki Ramen is still haunted by the ghost of Pat Martynuik, who established Picture Machine Tattoo at that location in 1976, and died in the shop in, I believe, 1989.