Cambria Cemetery History

Began in 1870

Cambria Community Cemetery officially known as the Cambria Cemetery District, truly the only California cemetery in the pines by the sea. The cemetery began in 1870 on land donated by George Leffingwell and deeded to the San Simeon Masonic Lodge in 1877. In 1940, the San Luis Obispo County set up boundaries and created special districts for the 11 cemeteries in the county. We are a non-profit tax supported agency governed by a three-member board of trustees.

Statistics

• Unknown graves – 80
• Veterans 320+
• Earliest marked grave – Greenup Scott (9/21/1870)

The cemetery allows families of the interred to place bird feeders and baths, wind chimes, and other personal items on the gravesites. Benches are provided by the families. The large number of trees allows the cemetery to be inventive on interment sites that adds to the uniqueness of the grounds. Headstones range from inscribed granite rock, metal, military issued, to beautiful carved marble. Of the wooden headstones 80 have no names as they have washed off over the years and records were poorly kept. Most of the children that died at childbirth prior to 1900 have no first names.