Did you know that Lone Mountain was once a landscape of bustling cemeteries? Look around you. This very spot now occupied by the University of San Francisco was once the site of the Lone Mountain Cemetery. It was a sprawling complex. It included Laurel Hill Calvary Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemeteries. The Spanish even had a name for this hill El Divisadero. It means a point from which one can see far. The view from Lone Mountain was indeed breathtaking. A panoramic vista of the city and the bay.
Imagine the scene in the 1800s. Thousands of souls were laid to rest here. Elaborate mausoleums and crypts adorned the landscape. Families would come for picnics and visits. They would stroll among the graves. The cemeteries served as a community gathering place. They were also buffers to westward expansion.
But times changed. After decades of debate and legal battles a massive undertaking began. The remains from these cemeteries were moved. The location of the new resting place was Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma. This relocation was described as an act of civic vandalism. Think of the sheer scale of it. Thousands of graves were unearthed. Precious marble and granite were used to fortify seawalls. The very earth of this hill was reshaped. The hill’s original summit was lowered by 75 feet. This made way for the San Francisco College for Women.
Today Lone Mountain is a hub of learning. The campus of the University of San Francisco stands here. The Spanish Steps a stunning garden stairway mark the entrance on Turk Street. The campus connects two parts of the university. This area is known as University Terrace. Yet beneath the modern buildings lie the echoes of the past. Whispers of those who once rested here.
It’s quite remarkable. From a necropolis a place of death to a vibrant university campus. The transformation of Lone Mountain is a testament to the ever-changing nature of a city. It’s also a reminder of the lives that were once buried here. Their stories are not forgotten. They are woven into the fabric of this historic hill.