Park Plan

Controversy

Mt. Hope

Calvary Cemetery Gravestones At Mount Hope

It was 1970, and the construction on the park was almost complete. The city did not know what to do with the gravestones. It was decided to keep the gravestones of historical significance as a memorial. The rest were to be "stored" at Mount Hope Cemetery.

In reality, the headstones were dumped in a ravine at Mount Hope Cemetery. They were left there for 18 years, and then a bulldozer was used to bury the gravestones. This happened on February 9, 1988 and was documented in a video that was given to the San Diego Historical Society. The narrator of the video called the city’s mistake a “trick”. The people were never informed of the city’s action, but were misled to believe that the gravestones were treated appropriately with respect. That same year, 18 years after the gravestones were dumped in the ditch, about 13 gravestones were finally set up near the ditch as a memorial. Over 600 headstones were buried in that ditch, most of them San Diego’s earliest pioneers. History was buried in that ditch.  

Not only that, we discovered that not all of the gravestones were moved as planned. A fourth grader in our class discovered significant pieces of gravestones in the canyon behind the Pioneer Park. One said “Moriarty 1887”, and another began SH. There was one large piece covered in white tiles. Documents at the San Diego Historical Society indicate some tombstones are located in two neighborhood back yards. How many more people were bulldozed and forgotten?

by Kamala

The memorial at Mt. Hope Cemetery.

The gravestones in the ditch at Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Gravestones discovered in the canyon behind Pioneer Park.