Topzle Topzle

Colma, California

Updated: Wikipedia source

Colma, California

Colma (Ohlone for "Springs") is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,507 at the 2020 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924. With most of Colma's land dedicated to cemeteries, the population of the dead—not specifically known but speculated to be around 1.5 million—outnumbers that of the living by a ratio of nearly a thousand to one. This has led to Colma being called "the City of the Silent" and has given rise to a humorous motto, formerly featured on the city's website: "It's great to be alive in Colma".

Infobox

Country
United States
State
California
County
San Mateo
Incorporated as "Lawndale"
August 5, 1924
Name changed to "Colma"
November 17, 1941
• Mayor
Joanne del Rosario
• City Manager
Daniel Barros
• Total
1,507
• Land
1.89 sq mi (4.90 km2)
• Water
0 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0%
Elevation
121 ft (37 m)
• Density
797.1/sq mi (307.78/km2)
Time zone
UTC−8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)
UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
94014
Area code
650
FIPS code
06-14736
GNIS feature ID
1658303
Website
www.colma.ca.gov

Tables

Cemeteries in Colma[22] · Businesses
Tung Sen
Tung Sen
Name
Tung Sen
Founded
?
Community
Chinese
Size
?
Notes
These four cemeteries are within the city limits of Daly City, separated from the western campus of Cypress Lawn by Junipero Serra Boulevard.
Hoy Sun
Hoy Sun
Name
Hoy Sun
Founded
?
Community
Chinese
Size
?
Chinese Christian
Chinese Christian
Name
Chinese Christian
Founded
?
Community
Chinese
Size
?
Russian Sectarian
Russian Sectarian
Name
Russian Sectarian
Founded
Russian
Community
?
Holy Cross
Holy Cross
Name
Holy Cross
Founded
Jun 3, 1887
Community
Roman Catholic
Size
?
Notes
Holy Cross Mausoleum, designed by John McQuarrie, is the resting site for the men who have served as Archbishop of San Francisco, including Joseph Sadoc Alemany, Patrick William Riordan, Edward Joseph Hanna, John Joseph Mitty, and Joseph Thomas McGucken.
Home of Peace
Home of Peace
Name
Home of Peace
Founded
Jan 1, 1889
Community
Jewish
Size
20 acres (8.1 ha)
Notes
Occupies the northern half of the site
Hills of Eternity
Hills of Eternity
Name
Hills of Eternity
Founded
20 acres (8.1 ha)
Community
Occupies the southern half of the site
Salem
Salem
Name
Salem
Founded
Dec 20, 1891
Community
17 acres (6.9 ha)
Cypress Lawn
Cypress Lawn
Name
Cypress Lawn
Founded
1892
Community
Non-sectarian
Size
148 acres (60 ha)
Notes
Split into two campuses straddling El Camino Real: the 47-acre (19 ha) eastern (1892) and the 101-acre (41 ha) western (1901).
Mount Olivet
Mount Olivet
Name
Mount Olivet
Founded
1896
Community
65 acres (26 ha)
Size
Renamed to Olivet Memorial Park. Acquired by Cypress Lawn in 2020.
Italian
Italian
Name
Italian
Founded
1899
Community
Italian
Size
35 acres (14 ha)
Serbian
Serbian
Name
Serbian
Founded
1901
Community
Christian Orthodox
Size
16 acres (6.5 ha)
Japanese
Japanese
Name
Japanese
Founded
Jun 1901
Community
Japanese
Size
2 acres (0.81 ha)
Eternal Home
Eternal Home
Name
Eternal Home
Founded
Jul 1901
Community
Jewish
Size
25 acres (10 ha)
Notes
Also hosts the Jewish Community Memory Garden, adjacent to the children's section of the cemetery.
Greenlawn
Greenlawn
Name
Greenlawn
Founded
1903
Community
Non-sectarian
Size
47 acres (19 ha)
Notes
Site purchased in 1903 by the directors of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows cemetery in San Francisco using allegedly embezzled funds, resulting in the disavowal of the site by the IOOF Grand Lodge.
Woodlawn
Woodlawn
Name
Woodlawn
Founded
Oct 29, 1904
Community
Non-sectarian
Size
92 acres (37 ha)
Notes
Originally 47 acres (19 ha)
Sunset View
Sunset View
Name
Sunset View
Founded
1907
Community
Non-sectarian
Size
?
Notes
Paupers' burial site; closed in 1951. Site now used for Cypress Hills Golf Course.
Greek Orthodox
Greek Orthodox
Name
Greek Orthodox
Founded
1935
Community
Eastern Orthodox
Size
8 acres (3.2 ha)
Notes
Consecrated April 1936.
Pets Rest
Pets Rest
Name
Pets Rest
Founded
1947
Community
Pet
Size
5 acres (2.0 ha)
Hoy Sun
Hoy Sun
Name
Hoy Sun
Founded
1988
Community
Chinese
Size
8 acres (3.2 ha)
Notes
Acquired from Cypress Hills Golf Course when the course shrank from 18 to 9 holes.
Golden Hills
Golden Hills
Name
Golden Hills
Founded
Feb 23, 1994
Community
Chinese
Size
14 acres (5.7 ha)
Notes
Acquired from Cypress Hills Golf Course when the course shrank from 18 to 9 holes.
Name
Image
Founded
Community
Size
Notes
Tung Sen
?
Chinese
?
These four cemeteries are within the city limits of Daly City, separated from the western campus of Cypress Lawn by Junipero Serra Boulevard.
Hoy Sun
?
Chinese
?
Chinese Christian
?
Chinese
?
Russian Sectarian
?
Russian
?
Holy Cross
Jun 3, 1887
Roman Catholic
?
Holy Cross Mausoleum, designed by John McQuarrie, is the resting site for the men who have served as Archbishop of San Francisco, including Joseph Sadoc Alemany, Patrick William Riordan, Edward Joseph Hanna, John Joseph Mitty, and Joseph Thomas McGucken.
Home of Peace
Jan 1, 1889
Jewish
20 acres (8.1 ha)
Occupies the northern half of the site
Hills of Eternity
20 acres (8.1 ha)
Occupies the southern half of the site
Salem
Dec 20, 1891
17 acres (6.9 ha)
Cypress Lawn
1892
Non-sectarian
148 acres (60 ha)
Split into two campuses straddling El Camino Real: the 47-acre (19 ha) eastern (1892) and the 101-acre (41 ha) western (1901).
Mount Olivet
1896
65 acres (26 ha)
Renamed to Olivet Memorial Park. Acquired by Cypress Lawn in 2020.
Italian
1899
Italian
35 acres (14 ha)
Serbian
1901
Christian Orthodox
16 acres (6.5 ha)
Japanese
Jun 1901
Japanese
2 acres (0.81 ha)
Eternal Home
Jul 1901
Jewish
25 acres (10 ha)
Also hosts the Jewish Community Memory Garden, adjacent to the children's section of the cemetery.
Greenlawn
1903
Non-sectarian
47 acres (19 ha)
Site purchased in 1903 by the directors of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows cemetery in San Francisco using allegedly embezzled funds, resulting in the disavowal of the site by the IOOF Grand Lodge.
Woodlawn
Oct 29, 1904
Non-sectarian
92 acres (37 ha)
Originally 47 acres (19 ha)
Sunset View
1907
Non-sectarian
?
Paupers' burial site; closed in 1951. Site now used for Cypress Hills Golf Course.
Greek Orthodox
1935
Eastern Orthodox
8 acres (3.2 ha)
Consecrated April 1936.
Pets Rest
1947
Pet
5 acres (2.0 ha)
Hoy Sun
1988
Chinese
8 acres (3.2 ha)
Acquired from Cypress Hills Golf Course when the course shrank from 18 to 9 holes.
Golden Hills
Feb 23, 1994
Chinese
14 acres (5.7 ha)
Acquired from Cypress Hills Golf Course when the course shrank from 18 to 9 holes.

References

  1. "California Cities by Incorporation Date"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
  2. "Joanne F. del Rosario"
    https://www.colma.ca.gov/contacts/joanne-f-del-rosario/
  3. "City Manager/City Clerk's Office"
    https://www.colma.ca.gov/departments/city-managercity-clerk/
  4. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files"
    https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt
  5. City of Colma - History
    https://www.colma.ca.gov/colma-history/
  6. Colma Historical Association - Newsletter #120
    https://colmahistory.com/2018-No.120%20Jan-Feb-Mar%20Newsletter.pdf
  7. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/us/09cemetery.html
  8. kqed.org
    https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco
  9. Colma
    https://books.google.com/books?id=jfEo-rCwM7YC&pg=PA7
  10. New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/21/us/and-just-how-are-things-in-colma-calif-awfully-quiet-night-and-day.html
  11. California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names
  12. Boxrec.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100852/http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=009028&cat=boxer
  13. SFGATE
    https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Haunted-Chapel-SF-venue-ghost-girl-video-not-hoax-16527965.php
  14. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/sports/football/the-town-of-colma-where-san-franciscos-dead-live.html
  15. San Francisco Call
    https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19030812.2.7
  16. Daily News Leader
    https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DNL19240802.2.6
  17. JWeekly.com
    http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/73140/local-jewish-history-comes-to-life-at-cemetery-walk/
  18. "Local Jewish history comes to life at cemetery walk"
    http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/73140/local-jewish-history-comes-to-life-at-cemetery-walk/
  19. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1994/06/12/couldnt-you-just-die-necropolis-usa-one-towns-underground-economy/180ef000-d571-4389-a40e-7285b87401d2/
  20. The Price of a Bargain: The Quest for Cheap and the Death of Globalization
    https://books.google.com/books?id=PnuwJkSQgpsC&pg=PA68
  21. Urban Geography: A Global Perspective
    https://books.google.com/books?id=M3rAuvR-o-gC&pg=PT252
  22. City of Souls: San Francisco's Necropolis at Colma
    https://archive.org/details/cityofsoulssanfr0000svan/
  23. J
    https://jweekly.com/2012/11/09/memory-garden-soon-a-place-for-mourning-parents-to-reflect-and-meditate/
  24. "Sunset View Cemetery: Cemetery for the Paupers and the Indigent of San Francisco"
    https://smcgs.org/resources/Documents/Databases/Sunset%20View%20Cemetery_1.pdf
  25. "Colma Boundary Map"
    https://www.colma.ca.gov/documents/colma-boundary-map/
  26. Colma Cardroom Project, Environmental Impact Report, Environmental Science Associates, prepared for the city of Colma (1
    http://www.colma.ca.gov/index.php/forms-a-documents/newsroom-1/draft-eir-1/641-6-iv-b-geology-and-soils-1/file
  27. About the Mountain: Topography and Climate Archived July 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, San Bruno Mountain Watch (nd)
    http://www.mountainwatch.org/mountain-topography/
  28. M.Papineau, B.George, J.Buxton et al., Environmental Impact Report for the Metro Center, Colma, California, Earth Metric
  29. "California's 15th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map"
    https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/CA/15
  30. Holy Angels School
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170202024732/http://www.holyangelscolma.com/about-us.html
  31. "Census of Population and Housing"
    https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html
  32. US Census Bureau
    https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0614736
  33. US Census Bureau
    https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0614736
  34. US Census Bureau
    https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0614736
  35. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Colma town"
    https://archive.today/20140715024219/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0614736
  36. Harold and Maude homepage
    http://haroldandmaudehomepage.com/xharoldlocations.html
  37. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/movies/06colm.html
  38. Colma: The Musical
    http://www.colmafilm.com
  39. Richmond ReView / Sunset Beacon
    https://sfrichmondreview.com/2018/07/03/new-film-highlights-history-of-richmonds-lost-cemeteries/
  40. San Jose Mercury News
    https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/10/30/carolyn-livengood-veterans-day-to-be-observed-at-golden-gate-national-cemetery/
Image
Source:
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.