Camera in hand, I jumped in my car with no real destination in mind. I just knew that cemeteries was going to be the theme for today, as usual. Todays drive took me through Hayward to Fremont, back to Hayward, then through San Leandro and San Lorenzo. I was trying to remember all of the cemeteries that I knew here in the area. So todays cemeteries were: Lone Tree Cemetery, Chapel of the Chimes, St. Joseph's Cemetery, Centerville Pioneer Cemetery, Holy Sepulchre, All Saints Cemetery, Mt. Calvary Cemetery, and San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery.
I didn't take quite as many pictures today as I did yesterday. Yesterday I took about 200 picutres total. Today I only took about 62 pictures. I'm still sorting through all of them, finding the best ones and then editing them in PhotoShop.
Todays pictures are of San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery. The first burial record was April 10, 1853. It was the early burial ground for San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, Livermore Valley, and the lower reaches of Alameda County. The cemetery is located on property that was owned by two pioneer area farmers, John Lewelling, for whom Lewelling Blvd. was named, and William Meek, the area's largest landowner at that time. During that time family plots cost $20.00 to $30.00, depending on their size and location.
For as long as I can remember, the cemetery has been pretty much closed and locked up due to vandalism. When my uncle was younger, he spent some time in juvie and had to clean up the cemetery along with all the others who were given the duty of cleaning it up. The cemetery was taken over by Alameda County and is now maintained by the County and the volunteer efforts of the Hayward Area Historical Society. The gate is kept locked, however access can still be obtained. The keys are kept in the church across the street. Since I didn't go ask for the keys to go into the cemetery, I made do and took what pictures I could though the fence. This picture you can see the Lewelling family plot, with the tall memorial in the center of it. John Lewellings headstone is behind it on the left side, and a bit to the right. I'm not sure where William Meek is buried, since I could not get inside and roam around.
From what I read about William Meek, he was the "first farmer" and one of the pioneers of commercial agriculture in Alameda County. Owning three miles of land running north-south between Mission Blvd. and Hesperian Blvd., from San Lorenzo Creek to A Street in Haywards, as it was then called. The Meek Mansion is still standing to this day, located on the edge of San Lorenzo at Hampton and Boston Roads. The Hayward Area Recreational Park District bought the estate and in 1973 the Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's funny, I've lived in San Leandro off and on all of my life, and never once did I ever consider the history of San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward, or any of the other neighboring cities. History is such a boring subject to learn when we are young. It's not until we get older that we realize that we are constantly surrounded by history. Take a look in a cemetery and you will find people who were the very people who have influenced what is all around you today. The world is a living monument to the people who helped build it.
No comments:
Post a Comment