One thing Ive learned living in San Diego is that you discover something new about this great city all the time, and you are constantly surprised by what you find tucked away in the corner of the most unassuming of places. So when I was taking an evening run through Mission Hills I never expected to run into (pun punch) a cluster of tomb stones in a corner of Pioneer Park. These stones were rather old, some dating as far back as the 1870s. This was particularly noteworthy, given how beautiful, clean and modern the park was; with a few family barbecues, people playing catch with their dogs, couples laying on the grass, and a lot of kids running and playing in the trees (seriously, that alone is pretty impressive now a days). Now San Diego is known for a lot of things, cemeteries are not one of them. You can count all the cemeteries located in San Diego county on one hand and still be able to hold a cigar. A quick Google search alluded to at least one reason for that. As it turns out Pioneer Park sits on top of an old Catholic cemetery. It was used from the 1870s well into the twentieth century. At some point in the 1960s someone decided the old rundown grave yard was in too much of an eyesore. Perhaps the site of an old cemetery in such a beautiful part of San Diego was bumming people out, if not tripping them out (this was the free love and acid age after all). So the city decided to remove the decadent place of rest and turn the land into a family park. And yes, it does get better. Craig T. Nelson once warned us with his emphatic roar, you removed the cemetery, but you left the bodies, didnt ya! Yes Craig, they sure did! Apparently 50% is a pass when relocating a cemetery. Nearly all the headstones were removed, literally dumped into a ditch near Mt. Hope cemetery east of downtown (because who cares?) with a few dozen stones left in the south east corner of the park (the pictures). The bodies themselves were left undisturbed. And when I say bodies, Im not talking about a Tupperware conventions worth of people. Were talking close to 4000 graves packed into 5 acres of land, residing six feet under the feet of running, laughing children with their rosy cheeks and gumdrop smiles. (Did I mention how weird it was to see children actually playing in a park?) I guess the residents of Mission Hills dont mind. But it seems like a little known fact about San Diego. This personal discovery is but another reason why I love this grand city. Not simply for the little Easter eggs you can find without looking, but because clearly San Diego, like myself, doesnt want to see or hear dead people clogging up valuable real estate! :)
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 03:03:19 +0000
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