Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery
| Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 501 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, California |
| Coordinates | 34°9′43″N 118°2′27″W / 34.16194°N 118.04083°WCoordinates: 34°9′43″N 118°2′27″W / 34.16194°N 118.04083°W |
| Area | 2.5 acres |
| Built | 1884 |
| Reference no. | 42 |
  Location of Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery in the Los Angeles metropolitan area | |
Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery, is a cemetery in the Sierra Madre, California. In 1881, Nathaniel Coburn Carter purchased land located along Central Ave., later renamed Sierra Madre Boulevard, for use as a Cemetery for the new city.
Located on a 2.5-acre (10,117 m²) site on Sierra Madre Blvd and Coburn, It is the area's oldest cemetery. A Civil War veteran, John Richardson, who had recently moved to Sierra Madre became the first person interred in the Cemetery on July 3, 1882. Of the first seventeen families that lived in Sierra Madre, when it was founded in 1881, twelve of them are buried in the cemetery.[1][2] Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery is a historic landmark #42 in Sierra Madre. There are forty-eight properties listed on Sierra Madre's Designated Historical Properties List.[3]
Each Memorial Day since 1924 Sierra Madre VFW Post 3208 with Boy Scouts of America Troop 373 of Sierra Madre places flags and crosses at the graves of military veterans.[4] Veterans of the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate, Spanish–American War, World War I and World War II and the Korean War are buried at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery.[5][6]
After WW 1, Sierra Madre held Parades on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and 4th of July Independence Day. Veterans, Scouts and City officials would march from Sierra Madre Memorial Park to Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery. While the Memorial Day and Veterans Day Parades have ended. The Independence Day Parade continues each year.[7] A Memorial Day service is held in Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery at 11am each year, hosted by the VFW.[8]
In February 1881, Nathaniel Carter purchased the original 1103 acres that comprised the new city of Sierra Madre. The land was acquired in three purchases: 845 acres of Rancho Santa Anita from Lucky Baldwin, 108 acres from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and 150 acres from Levi Richardson (-Aug. 9, 1884).[9][10]
The cemetery is well cared for now, the only new spaces available are in the new Memorial Garden which is an area for cremains. The cemetery fell into neglect for a short time with upkeep only from volunteers, family members of those interred, local members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion. The Sierra Madre Cemetery Association was organized in 1961 and has maintained the cemetery since then.[11][12]
Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery is next to Sierra Madre Community Park, Dapper Baseball Field, the City Yard and the city water ponds.
Notable interments
- Nathaniel Carter (Jan. 24, 1840 - Sept. 2, 1904)[14]
- Mrs. Annetta M. Carter (Feb, 10, 1846-Sept. 24, 1937)
- Almarian Decker - American pioneer of electrical engineering
- Louise Gunning - American soprano singer
- Alan Wood (military officer)
- Professor John Jacob Hart: One of the founding fathers of Sierra Madre, music teacher and SM winery owner.[15]
- Charles E. Whittingham- Legendary horse trainer, his death in 1999, at 86, was announced during the races at Santa Anita Park and the crowd had a moment of silence and stood.
- Van Iersel, Louis (Ludovicus) (b. October 19, 1893-d. June 9, 1987)World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.[16]
- William H. Newbery: (Sep. 14, 1925-Sept. 25, 2009) A WW2 Veteran (Bronze Star Medal-Battle of the Bulge), owner of Bill's Bicycle Center in Sierra Madre, Boy Scout Leader, volunteer Fireman with SMFD, Sierra Madre VFW 3208 Commander and member of 75th Division Veterans Association [17]
See also
- Old North Church (Sierra Madre, California) Historic landmark #40 in Sierra Madre.
- Episcopal Church of the Ascension (Sierra Madre, California) Historic landmark #7
References
- ↑ sierramadrepioneercemetery.org, Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery
- ↑ hometown-pasadena.com, Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery
- ↑ City of Sierra Madre Historic landmark list
- ↑ Troop 373 MEMORIAL WEEKEND project
- ↑ sierramadreweekly.com Sierra Madre honors fallen soldiers with observance ceremony, May 29th, 2012 by Sierra Madre Weekly
- ↑ sierramadrenews.net VFW Post 3208 Hosts Memorial Day Service at Pioneer Cemetery, Monday, May 31, 2010
- ↑ cityofsierramadre.com, 4th of July
- ↑ The Patch.com Memorial Day Ceremony at Pioneer Cemetery, By Cassandra Morris
- ↑ THE MT. WILSON OBSERVER, January 5 - January 10, 200, Sierra Madre Turns 100, Year Long Celebration Begins, By Susan Henderso, Page 3
- ↑ Annual Publications of the Historical Society of Southern California, Volume 6, page 178
- ↑ sierramadrepioneercemetery.org, History
- ↑ sierramadrenews.net, Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery
- ↑ findagrave.com, Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery interments
- ↑ seeingsierramadre.com Mr. and Mrs. Carter
- ↑ patch.com, The Music Man Behind Sierra Madre's Fine Winery, Now Memorial Park, In honor of the Sierra Madre Wine & Jazz Walk, we take a look back at one of the city's founding luminaries, John Jacob Hart. By Matt Hormann, September 23, 2011
- ↑ findagrave.com Van Iersel, Louis
- ↑ legacy.com, William H. Newbery