Native American Burial Sites
Earliest known San Francisco burial: a 24-26 year
old woman was found at the excavation of the Civic Center BART station
in 1969.
Source: Buried Human Bones at the 'BART' Site San Francisco.
California Geology. September 1972. 208-209.
“EXHUMATION OF BONES.—Yesterday afternoon, as the
steam paddy was at work pursuing its usual excavation in the rear of the
Oriental Hotel, at [the sw corner of] Bush and Battery sts, which was along
the original waterline], the shovel scraped out two skulls, and a number
of bones. They were just lying in a black soil, partially calcareous, about
seven feet below the surface. There was no remnant of a coffin, and the
bones appeared to be very old. From the shape of the skulls they were supposed
to be those of Indians, which have been probably lying in the earth a long
time.”
Source: Daily Alta California, 28 June 1851.
“At the site of the Yerba Buena Gardens - between
Howard and Mission, 3rd and 4th Streets - and near Jesse Street in the
same vicinity - pre-contact burial sites have been discovered. A shell
midden is evident near the Cliff House [and] can be seen near Louie's Food
stand.”
Source: Personal Correspondence with Andrew Galvan, Curator,
Old Mission Dolores, San Francisco, November 2009.
Return to
San Francisco Genealogy
Public Commons License