Is it possible for a place of rest to also be a site of upheaval? The story of Verdugo Hills Cemetery is one of peace disturbed and then reclaimed. It sits in Tujunga, Los Angeles. Verdugo Hills Cemetery is a testament to the area’s history.
Established in 1922 by Marshall Valentine Hartranft, Verdugo Hills Cemetery became the final resting place for many early Tujunga residents. Hartranft also founded the utopian community of Tujunga. The cemetery offered a panoramic view of the San Fernando Valley. Distinctive trees dotted the hilly terrain of Verdugo Hills Cemetery.
By the 1970s, Verdugo Hills Cemetery fell into disrepair. In 1976, it lost its license. The worst was yet to come for Verdugo Hills Cemetery.
In 1978, disaster struck. Torrential rains caused a massive landslide in the San Gabriel Mountains foothills. The landslide unearthed a large section of Verdugo Hills Cemetery. Corpses were strewn throughout the area. Gophers had made holes that allowed rain to saturate the earth. Rotted caskets broke open and their contents were carried away.
According to Coroner by Thomas Noguchi, about 100 bodies were sent plunging into homes. They were also found in businesses and city streets. One body was wedged into a supermarket entrance. The task of identifying remains and reburying them was immense. When they arrived, bodies were everywhere. Some were standing upright in a grotesque way.
The City of Los Angeles repaired the grounds of Verdugo Hills Cemetery. Heavy rain unearthed more corpses in 1980.
Despite these challenges, the spirit of Verdugo Hills Cemetery lives on. Friends of Verdugo Hills Cemetery volunteer every third Saturday of the month. They renew and restore the cemetery.
The cemetery’s history is marked by natural disasters. It also suffered vandalism. Some families even moved their loved ones from their crypts. Verdugo Hills Cemetery closed to the public in 2002. Family members could visit by appointment only. It was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009.
The Friends of Verdugo Hills Cemetery helped beautify it for its centennial celebration on April 23, 2022. Historic Pioneer Hill is where Parson James Wornom was first buried in 1922. Marshall Hartranft donated the four acres of land. Civil War veteran Hiram F Hatch is also buried there.
The Sacred Oak and Sky Bench stand in front of the circa 1957 mausoleum building. New pillars and plant stands incorporate found materials. The Soldiers Stairway depicts a stairway to heaven. The Pozzo Wishing Pond is named after former caretaker Mary Lou Pozzo. The view from Verdugo Hills Cemetery is “to die for”.
There are reportedly only 220 headstones accounting for 2,247 actual graves. Some small concrete pillars were uncovered during restoration work. They are thought to be part of the cemetery’s original system for selling burial plots.
Mabel Hatch was a caretaker for 30 years until 1957. Now, the Friends of Verdugo Hills Cemetery continue fundraising efforts.
Verdugo Hills Cemetery is a place of history. It is a place of remembrance. It is a place of community. Its story reminds us that even after disruption, restoration and respect can prevail.