If you’d like to walk through the entire history of California in just one day, simply visit Sacramento’s Old City Cemetery. This historic cemetery is notably the resting place of many iconic Californians, ranging from famous murderers and criminals to governors and Gold Rush-era figures. These people may be gone, but their memory lives on forever inside of the city’s oldest existing cemetery. Not only that, but the cemetery itself is absolutely beautiful. It makes for an interesting way to spend a few hours so read on to learn all about what resides in this historic destination.
Established in 1849, the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery is the oldest in California's capital city. Walking through it makes for a fascinating history lesson, as it's here you'll find the graves of some of the state's most notable historical figures.
Today, the cemetery is the final resting place of more than 25,000 original California pioneer and immigrants, along with their families and descendants. As you peruse the graves, you may just come across some names you remember from California history books!
The Sacramento City Cemetery was actually established thanks to a donation of 10 acres by Captain John Sutter. Prior to that, burials were conducted in an area by Sutter's Fort that was close to the American River. This destination was less than ideal due to the river's frequent flooding, so an effort was made to move the cemetery to a better location.
Constructed in the popular Victorian Garden style of the times, the cemetery is truly like a snapshot of California in the 19th century. Although a lot of changes have occurred over the past 150 years, the authentic Victorian style remains one of the cemetery's most prominent features.
You could easily spend hours walking among the headstones and reading all of the names. Among the very first people buried in the City Cemetery when it was established were the 600 or so victims of the 1850 Cholera epidemic—a tragic bit of state history that will live on in the cemetery.
One of the most well-known figures that was laid to rest here was the Sacramento city founder himself, Captain John A. Sutter. You'll also spot the graves of lawyer and art collector E.B. Crocker, railroad mogul Mark Hopkins, three California governors, and some of the city's earliest mayors.
Visitors, history buffs, and garden enthusiasts are all welcome to peruse the cemetery. They even offer docent-guided walking tours on certain weekends, and self-guided tours are always encouraged during cemetery hours. You can learn more about this historic cemetery and start planning your visit at the official website here.
Have you strolled through this historic cemetery before? This place is an amazing piece of California history, that’s for sure. If walking among old graves appeals to you, be sure to also check out our list of 13 Eerily Beautiful Cemeteries In Northern California.
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