Cemeteries History Revisited

[adminsandiegohaunted]

Where there is life so there is death. No one can escape this inevitable truth.

El Campo Santo is unique among the original cemeteries of San Diego California, as it remains in near original state. The buried dead are still interred in the original ground and are in identifiable lots.

Old Protestant Cemetery Then

Adjacent to the Old Protestant Cemetery, a separate cemetery know as "The Government Cemetery," or "San Pascual Cemetery," co-existed" ;Both cemetery lots as appearing  today. The bodies that were unearthed were re interred in Mt.Hope Cemetery.

The "Original Jewish Cemetery" Site. The first Jewish Cemetery existed in the 2900 block of Fordham Street.

This lot eventually became Scripps  Cabrillo Hospital (now closed).


Calvary Cemetery, "A Grave Situation." At least with regards to the previous listed cemeteries, some effort was put forth to show respect for the buried dead. In the case of El Campo Santo, restoration. For the other cemeteries, re-interment into suitable locations. Calvary was the epitome of how not to treat the dead. Originally drawn up as a side by side five acre section of Catholic and Protestant burial space (10 acres total). Protestants refused to bury their dead next to a Catholic cemetery. The protestant section became a park while the Catholic section remained open for burials.


The demise of Calvary was rooted with the opening of a new Catholic cemetery "Holy Cross," in 1919.
Neglect and lack of funding during the great depression was briefly deterred by New Deal W.P.A. funding.  During that time a grounds keeper was hired, and an adobe wall was erected to keep vandals out. Despite the best efforts of local individuals the cemetery fell into a state total disrepair. The last "Known" burial occurred in 1960.  "Raising the Dead"; 1968 The city of San Diego steps in, to declare the cemetery, abandoned. The following year all head stones, and markers were razed and discarded into a ravine behind Mt. Hope Cemetery. Public outrage followed several publicized photos of the remains of the headstones. The only known public mass grave of head stones took place at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Two monuments were erected as well, one at Pioneer park, and the other at Mt. Hope. Some of the bodies (paid by the surviving family) were re interred in other cemeteries.  The majority of bodies still remain under the lush green park grass. The exact number of bodies varies by who one talks too. This over lay shows near exact known burial locations.


The Linda Vista cemetery still exists todayand is located on MCAS Miramar.

The last cemetery for this post is a rarely mentioned one. Very little information is known about the  "Scripps' Cemetery."  What we do know is six bodies were exhumed during the 1960's  and re interred into Mt. Hope Cemetery. This is a photo of the cemetery location as it exists today.

[PPI Tim]

I wonder if Keith's has any reported activity?

[PPI Tracy]

Good question, Tim.  Very good question.