Established in 1891 Salem Memorial Park stands before us. It wasn’t always here in Colma. Originally a part of San Francisco’s City Cemetery near Ocean Beach it was consecrated in 1877 by Congregation Beth Israel. Imagine a time before the city’s rapid growth. A time when burial grounds were closer to the heart of the city.
This peaceful resting place holds a significant piece of San Francisco’s Jewish history. Salem Memorial Park was the third Jewish cemetery to make the move to Colma. Hills of Eternity and Home of Peace preceded it. The shift to Colma occurred because of changing sentiments towards burials within the city itself. By 1902 San Francisco banned new burials within its limits.
Congregation Beth Israel had the foresight to purchase land in Colma. They acquired over 35 acres. A cornerstone ceremony marked the opening of the New Salem Cemetery. An arch and a mortuary chapel designed by William Curlett were completed soon after. Sadly those structures are no longer standing. We don’t know for certain if they were lost in the 1906 earthquake.
The relocation of the original Salem Cemetery was a monumental task. Remains were exhumed and transferred to the new location between 1901 and 1907. Around 700 interments came from Golden Gate Cemetery. The park’s present size is 17 acres. A Garden Mausoleum was added in 1950. A Holocaust memorial was dedicated in 1974 a powerful symbol of remembrance. In 2004 Congregation Beth Israel-Judea merged the cemetery with neighboring cemeteries. It now stands as a shared legacy under Congregation Emanu-El and Sherith Israel.
One notable person buried here is Edward S Salomon a Civil War officer and governor of Washington Territory. His story and those of countless others are woven into the fabric of Salem Memorial Park. Let us take a moment to reflect on the lives remembered and honored here. This cemetery isn’t just a place of burial. It’s a testament to resilience adaptation and the enduring power of community.