Mountain View Cemetery

[zyzyly]

I officiated at my first-ever funeral on Thursday, at Mountain View Cemetery in the Oakland hills. After the service I walked around and took some pictures.

I have been coming up here many years. When I lived in Oakland in my early 20's, this was the place I would come to meditate and find peace. It is spectaculaly beautiful and peaceful. I have pictures from 25 years ago in a box somewhere that I took here when I was taking a photography class in college.



This shows the pillar from which the picture of the face in my previous post was taken.




It was a hazy day, so you can't really appreciate the view from this shot, but in the distance is San Francisco. The view is spectacular--probably one of the best in the entire SF bay area.





This is where Charles Crocker is buried. He was one of the "big 4" (Crocker, Stanford, Huntington and Hopkins) who financed the western half of the transcontinental railroad. Interestingly enough, the museum we were at the other day is hosued in the old Crocker Mansion in Sacramento.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

That cemetery's designer also designed Central Park. It shows.

[zhenzhi.livejournal.com]

the view resembles a sydney view. i've heard the two cities have much in common.
cemetaries are such nice places. sad, but nice. :-)

*fascinated*

[annabellissima.livejournal.com]

Beautiful...

Especially the pillar, mausoleums and the iron-work.

[detroitfather.livejournal.com]

I like the photographs.

There is a community angelskyline for cemetary photos, but it is not very active at all lately.

As to the pillar, hopefully the American Family Association won't find her and cover up her breast ...

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

these are beautiful. i like the angel at the top of the stairs. (i thought that sad faced Mother might be from a cemetery.)

Your Icon!

[annabellissima.livejournal.com]

HEY!.... I remember having that book when I was a kid! Ohmygoodness! What's the name of the book again?

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

Olmstead?

I've been to Mountain View dozens of times, and didn't know that!

Re: Your Icon!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

How Fletcher was Hatched

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Yes, Frederick Law Olmstead. I couldn't think of the name last night when I was tired. :)

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I am thinking I must have known that at one time, but if so, I had forgotten. I have the brochure somewhere. It really does have a park-like feel to it.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

Sometimes sad. My grandfather loved cemeteries, and always took me to his favorites. He saw them as places of peace and beauty, and I got that from him.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I have hundreds of cemetery pics--maybe I should post a few there.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

If I wanted to be buried, that's where I'd want to go. :)

(Instead, I want to be illegally sprinkled into the plumbing -- mudpots, fumaroles -- of Mount Lassen. :) )

[myasma.livejournal.com]

If you did want to be buried there you would be out of luck. The lady there was telling me that it has long ago sold out of spaces.

But there is still plenty of room at Lassen :)

Olmstead

[nic-knack.livejournal.com]

Olmstead was one of the designers of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. I'm reading about it now, The Devil in the White City. I didn't know he designed our cemetary too! Interesting.

[zhenzhi.livejournal.com]

that is lovely. :-) and i agree, they are quite peaceful places.

[jeffholton.livejournal.com]

My wife's grandparents are there.

But anyway, next time you are all the way out here, even for a funeral (unless you are travelling back to continue officiating in some required manner), you are hereby commissioned to stop in Livermore for coffee or something.

Mmmkay?