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Map of the Lone Mountain Cemeteries
 

A Brief History of  San Francisco Cemeteries from 1870
 

Yerba Buena

In 1870  the City began construction of the City Hall, which was on the site of the Yerba Buena Cemetery. The remains were transferred to Golden Gate Cemetery, 200 acres beginning at 33rd Ave and Clement. Those moved were:

Golden Gate Cemetery 

In 1878, a number of charitable organizations applied for plots of land for their deceased members.
The City regretted approving the cemetery knowing that it would lessen property values in the vicinity of new homes, the result of expanding street railroads.
The influence of the organizations, however, forced the Board of Supervisors to allow the burials.
But by 1887 residents finally convinced the Board to appoint a committee to investigate closing the cemetery. The committee recommended its closure.

The Committee also recommended that a plot of land of 174 acres be purchased in San Mateo County at $160 an acre.
The proposal met with hostile criticism and was abandoned, burials continuing.
In 1891 the U.S. government filed a condemnation suit against the City to acquire a portion of the cemetery, 54 acres, for coastal defense purposes.
The City challenged the suit in court, but lost receiving $75,000 in compensation.
Golden Gate Cemetery finally closed in 1909.  

* The Chinese burials were temporary and after decomposition the remains were exhumed. The bones were cleansed and shipped to China for reburial. 

Other Cemeteries

Calvary, Roman Catholic: fronting Pt Lobos Ave., terminating Geary

Home of Peace, Hebrew: between 18th and 19th Sts. Dolores and Church

Laurel Hill at Lone Mountain, fronting Cemetery Ave. between Post and California

Masonic, between Fulton and Turk, West Masonic Ave. entrance on Pt Lobos Ave.

Odd Fellows, Pt. Lobos Ave. near Lone Mountain

Sherith Israel, Hebrew: between 19th and 20th Sts. Dolores and Church

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