Happy Halloween...early!
Halloween is officially my favorite holiday....so in honor of all things spooky and wild, here's a glimpse of my favorite haunted spot in SanDiego, Mission Hills Pioneer Park, formerly known as Calvary Cemetery...
....Click on the picture for more pictures....
Pioneer Park Ghosts
To sleep, perchance to dream
By Andrea Rustad
One would think the movie “Poltergeist" would keep people away from Pioneer Park in quiet Mission Hills. In the day, a park, beautifully resting next to an elementary school, children play, families picnic, frisbees are tossed. Yet at night it becomes very quiet. The street light shines over the grass so that the outlines of the graves that remain can be seen.
The history of Pioneer Park is long as the park is young. It starts in 1874. Smallpox has taken many of the population of San Diego. The first Catholic cemetery, known as El Campo Santo was full, with San Diego and its harbors being a popular destination for gold and silver prospectors or those seeking an idyllic climate, a new cemetery was necessary and urgent.
THE BEGINNING
Joseph S. Mannasse gave 10 acres of land to the City for a new cemetery. 5 acres for Catholics and 5 acres for Protestants. Father Ubach, who came to San Diego in 1866 and ministered both the Mission de Alcala and St. Joseph's Church at 3rd and Beech, with the backing of the parish of the Immaculate Conception, took possession of the building and negotiating of the new cemetery. The name was Calvary Cemetery, but soon became known as Calvary Catholic Cemetery, as the Protestants never seemed to occupy their share.
The beloved priest fought for the rights of the underdog, the Native Americans and the poor. Father Ubach became known widely to the world as Father Gaspara in Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, Ramona. He took up permanent residence at Calvary Cemetery, March 26, 1907, some believe he still looks after the grounds.
From 1880 to 1920, the Catholic portion of Calvary Cemetery in Mission Hills was used regularly and almost exclusively as a cemetery for San Diegans. Many of San Diego's early founders, pioneers, and members of San Diego's old Spanish families were buried at Calvary Cemetery. During this forty year time period, it is believed that between 1,600 and 2,000 people were buried there. The final total is estimated to be 3400.
The Protestant section of the cemetery was never used as a cemetery, and on April 12, 1909 it became Mission Hills Park. After Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School was built in 1914 next to the cemetery on land once owned by Kate Sessions, the Protestant part of Calvary Cemetery, Mission Hills Park, was used as a playground for the school.
THE CEMETERY BEGINS TO DIE
No funds were ever put aside for this lovely part of history, and as in all things it fell into ruins. In 1920 they stopped selling plots, the winter eroded the names and children threw eggs at the gravestones because of a myth saying that it would make the person buried there come back to life. On November 26, 1938, Calvary Cemetery was rededicated with a solemn mass with a small amount of money dedicated to cleaning up the cemetery. An adobe wall was built around the graveyard to deter motorcycles from driving through and destroying the park.
In 1941 a caretaker was hired, but given no funds for maintenance. Though dedicated and he did his best, he eventually moved on and the cemetery fell to greater ruin than before. In 1950, one resident, Albert A. Gabbs, stated, “Even the ghosts would be afraid to go there at night.” On March 16, 1960, Rose Wilson Mallicoat became the last permanent resident of Calvary Cemetery.
THE GHOST UPRISING
In 1969, the cemetery was closed and a park was declared in its stead. After much controversy, in 1970 the new park was almost complete. The headstones were to be moved to a peaceful respite at Mt. Hope cemetery, when in reality they were discovered dumped in a ravine at Mount Hope Cemetery 18 years later. During those 18 years, no matter how beautiful the park was in the daytime, at night, paranormal and ghostly things continued to occur. It became a “test of bravery" to walk through the park at night, there were rumors of animals disappearing. Many would say they saw ghostly figures digging in the graveyard or entering the wooded canyon surrounding the park.
Little did anyone know, that even after the gravestones were discovered in the ravine, further gravestones and gravestone pieces would be found in the park, in the canyon and just under the surface of the playground, even in backyards surrounding the former cemetery.
A memorial was set up in 1988 of a small group of headstones at Mount Hope cemetery to honor those who were tossed aside and forgotten.
On February 22, 2000 the City permanently determined that Pioneer Park/Mission Hills Park be “SET ASIDE AND DEDICATED, DONATED AND RESERVED TO THE PUBLIC FOR USE AS A PUBLIC PARK.”
Things became quieter; at night spirits are still seen and felt, but not digging and desperate, but reverent and curious. Is Father Ubach still watching over those that can no longer speak for themselves?
....Click on the picture for more pictures....
Pioneer Park Ghosts
To sleep, perchance to dream
By Andrea Rustad
One would think the movie “Poltergeist" would keep people away from Pioneer Park in quiet Mission Hills. In the day, a park, beautifully resting next to an elementary school, children play, families picnic, frisbees are tossed. Yet at night it becomes very quiet. The street light shines over the grass so that the outlines of the graves that remain can be seen.
The history of Pioneer Park is long as the park is young. It starts in 1874. Smallpox has taken many of the population of San Diego. The first Catholic cemetery, known as El Campo Santo was full, with San Diego and its harbors being a popular destination for gold and silver prospectors or those seeking an idyllic climate, a new cemetery was necessary and urgent.
THE BEGINNING
Joseph S. Mannasse gave 10 acres of land to the City for a new cemetery. 5 acres for Catholics and 5 acres for Protestants. Father Ubach, who came to San Diego in 1866 and ministered both the Mission de Alcala and St. Joseph's Church at 3rd and Beech, with the backing of the parish of the Immaculate Conception, took possession of the building and negotiating of the new cemetery. The name was Calvary Cemetery, but soon became known as Calvary Catholic Cemetery, as the Protestants never seemed to occupy their share.
The beloved priest fought for the rights of the underdog, the Native Americans and the poor. Father Ubach became known widely to the world as Father Gaspara in Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, Ramona. He took up permanent residence at Calvary Cemetery, March 26, 1907, some believe he still looks after the grounds.
From 1880 to 1920, the Catholic portion of Calvary Cemetery in Mission Hills was used regularly and almost exclusively as a cemetery for San Diegans. Many of San Diego's early founders, pioneers, and members of San Diego's old Spanish families were buried at Calvary Cemetery. During this forty year time period, it is believed that between 1,600 and 2,000 people were buried there. The final total is estimated to be 3400.
The Protestant section of the cemetery was never used as a cemetery, and on April 12, 1909 it became Mission Hills Park. After Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School was built in 1914 next to the cemetery on land once owned by Kate Sessions, the Protestant part of Calvary Cemetery, Mission Hills Park, was used as a playground for the school.
THE CEMETERY BEGINS TO DIE
No funds were ever put aside for this lovely part of history, and as in all things it fell into ruins. In 1920 they stopped selling plots, the winter eroded the names and children threw eggs at the gravestones because of a myth saying that it would make the person buried there come back to life. On November 26, 1938, Calvary Cemetery was rededicated with a solemn mass with a small amount of money dedicated to cleaning up the cemetery. An adobe wall was built around the graveyard to deter motorcycles from driving through and destroying the park.
In 1941 a caretaker was hired, but given no funds for maintenance. Though dedicated and he did his best, he eventually moved on and the cemetery fell to greater ruin than before. In 1950, one resident, Albert A. Gabbs, stated, “Even the ghosts would be afraid to go there at night.” On March 16, 1960, Rose Wilson Mallicoat became the last permanent resident of Calvary Cemetery.
THE GHOST UPRISING
In 1969, the cemetery was closed and a park was declared in its stead. After much controversy, in 1970 the new park was almost complete. The headstones were to be moved to a peaceful respite at Mt. Hope cemetery, when in reality they were discovered dumped in a ravine at Mount Hope Cemetery 18 years later. During those 18 years, no matter how beautiful the park was in the daytime, at night, paranormal and ghostly things continued to occur. It became a “test of bravery" to walk through the park at night, there were rumors of animals disappearing. Many would say they saw ghostly figures digging in the graveyard or entering the wooded canyon surrounding the park.
Little did anyone know, that even after the gravestones were discovered in the ravine, further gravestones and gravestone pieces would be found in the park, in the canyon and just under the surface of the playground, even in backyards surrounding the former cemetery.
A memorial was set up in 1988 of a small group of headstones at Mount Hope cemetery to honor those who were tossed aside and forgotten.
On February 22, 2000 the City permanently determined that Pioneer Park/Mission Hills Park be “SET ASIDE AND DEDICATED, DONATED AND RESERVED TO THE PUBLIC FOR USE AS A PUBLIC PARK.”
Things became quieter; at night spirits are still seen and felt, but not digging and desperate, but reverent and curious. Is Father Ubach still watching over those that can no longer speak for themselves?